Knights coach Adam O'Brien believes his side are better placed than at any other point in his tenure to make a run in the finals, declaring them "battle-hardened" ahead of a do-or-die clash with North Queensland.
The Knights will travel to Townsville on Thursday for Saturday's elimination final at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, but yesterday the focus remained on recovery following their last-round win over the Dolphins.
Sunday's 14-6 victory secured Newcastle eighth position and the last remaining finals spot, pitting them against the fifth-placed Cowboys who they haven't beaten in Townsville since 2015.
It will be the second consecutive year the Knights have played finals and fourth in five seasons under O'Brien.
In both 2020 and 2021, Newcastle bowed out in the first week of the play-offs but they won first-up last year before losing a semi-final to the Warriors in New Zealand.
"I think we're a lot more battle-hardened this year," O'Brien said, speaking at Dixon Park Surf Life Saving Club yesterday where his players gathered for swim, massage and yoga sessions.
"Last year, certainly 10 winning games and we were a little bit busted towards the end - we lost some key guys in 'Fitz', 'Jacko' and Kalyn with his shoulder.
"We're in a much different spot health-wise, but I feel like we're battle-hardened.
"We've been in some really tight contests. Obviously one-point against Cronulla and six or eight points against Penrith in Penrith.
"And again last weekend handling a big occasion in front of a big crowd, the last two weeks actually ... we're more ready for a tight battle.
"And I'd say we're more ready than what the opposition are. I think they've had some really blowout scorelines and haven't had a real tight contest for a while, so I think that puts us in good stead."
O'Brien on Tuesday named the same side that beat the Dolphins.
Kai Pearce-Paul was again listed at No.22 in the extended match squad, but is tracking towards a return.
The back-rower had stitches removed yesterday from the section of leg he had sewn up after it was cut open against the Rabbitohs on August 24.
Phoenix Crossland and Jack Cogger remain the halves, despite Tyson Gamble returning on the weekend via the interchange bench.
"We've got a couple of training runs to make our mind up," O'Brien said of his halves. "But what I will say is I've been really happy with 'Coggs' and Phoenix.
"The luxury of having a guy like Tyson Gamble in the 17 is great. It gives us coverage but ... it allows me to have a choice, tactically, to get him out there. He is such a good competitor."
Newcastle have had just one win in 10 games against the other seven finals teams in 2024. But they lost by only one point in golden-point extra time to both the Cowboys (21-20) and Sharks (19-18), and two points to the Roosters (22-20).
O'Brien has been particularly pleased with his side's defence on the run home.
In their past six games, following their last bye, Newcastle have conceded an average 15.8 points per game, which is about six points less than their season average.
"The last four to six weeks, I've been wrapped with them," O'Brien said.
"In particular our defence.
"We've leaked the least amount of tries in the whole competition the last six weeks. That's good form."
The coach said the players and club had enjoyed the win over the Dolphins, which came on 'Old Boys' Day and in front of a vocal home crowd of 29,433, but it was now behind them.
"We didn't want the journey to end on the weekend," he said. "A bit of the fairy tale to get the result in front of that packed stadium, but we move on pretty quickly.
"We'll go up Thursday. We'll do a captain's run up there. It's important that we do get the team up there to get used to the conditions. The 8pm game will help, somewhat ... but it's a shortened prep."
The Cowboys, who won seven of 10 games against finals teams in 2024, also named the same side from their 44-6 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.
Having travelled to Auckland last year for a semi-final against the Warriors, where they were beaten 40-10, O'Brien knows full well the challenge in front of his side, including the atmosphere awaiting them during's Townsville's match.
"The reality is, it's Cowboys in far north Queensland," he said.
"They'll pack the joint. They're very passionate about their footy up there.
"Not many people will give us a chance, but that's been the case all year and the group is very good at blocking the outside noise and focusing on what they need to do. And that will be the case this week."
