Check out the match preview and prediction for the 2025 National Rugby League round 16 clash between The Dolphins and the Newcastle Knights.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
The Dolphins Vs Newcastle Knights
Venue: HBF Stadium, Perth
Date: Saturday June 21, 5:30pm (AEST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Francis Molo 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Oryn Keeley 13. Kurt Donoghoe 14. Harrison Graham 15. Connelly Lemuelu 16. Ray Stone 17. Josh Kerr 18. Sean O’Sullivan 19. Max Feagai 20. Aublix Tawha 21. Trai Fuller 22. Peter Hola
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Jack Cogger 8. Tyson Frizell 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Mathew Croker 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Phoenix Crossland 14. Brodie Jones 15. Thomas Cant 16. Jermaine McEwen 17. Elijah Leaumoana 18. James Schiller 19. Jackson Hastings 20. Fletcher Hunt 21. Kyle McCarthy 22. Jack Hetherington
Referee: Grant Atkins
Bunker: Kasey Badger
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
The NRL heads west for its annual adventure as the Dolphins take a home game to the NRL’s new frontier in Perth to play the Newcastle Knights.
The Perth locals can get a taste of NRL 2025, and they are being treated to one of the form teams in the NRL right now, playing some great attacking rugby league, plus Newcastle.
That’s probably a bit harsh on Newcastle, but the Knights have only scored 193 points this season so far, while the Dolphins have scored 158 points in their last three games on a run that has seen them leap into sixth on the ladder. Newcastle can point to their defence as the fourth best in the comp at 19 points a game, but then the Dolphins have conceded just 18 points in total in their three-game winning streak.
Talking of three-game winning streaks, that is the Dolphins’ best run since entering in 2023. They have won three in a row five times but have yet to win a fourth game straight. A win here would see a new record for the club and continue their push towards an unlikely finals berth after a 0-4 start to the season.
Both teams are Origin-affected with their fullbacks playing in Game Two of the Origin series in Perth, and one could argue that they are least affected Origin players to back up, given they will stay in WA. One, Kalyn Ponga, is more important to their team than the other, with the Knights needing their fullback to unlock their attack which has been boosted by some key inclusions. The other Origin rep, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, is an important part of the Dolphins no doubt, but he has also been absent for two of their last three big wins, such is the Dolphins’ rich vein of form at the moment.
Maybe the turnaround in point scoring for the Knights will happen this weekend, with Newcastle naming a very strong backline with some key players returning, with Bradman Best and Fletcher Sharpe returning from injury and Dom Young returning from the Roosters. If the English international can find his Newcastle form again, then combined with those other returning players and the ever-reliable Dane Gagai and powerful Greg Marzhew, Newcastle may just have some more points in them over the final months of the season and this weekend. They will need plenty against the Dolphins in current form.
The Dolphins have made a few changes with Tabuai-Fidow’s return seeing Jake Averillo shift back to the centres. Another suspension for Felise Kaufusi sees Mark Nicholls promoted to the starting side and Harrison Graham added to the bench. The extended bench sees Aublix Tawha and Trai Fuller named, and there is a chance that Aublix Tawha could make his NRL debut.
A key clash could be in the forwards, which is where Newcastle have dominated the Dolphins in their recent winning run. Due to injuries, where the Dolphins are without four first choice forwards, so their forward pack gives away a little bit of size to the Knights. That also hasn’t bothered them too much in the last three weeks, but Newcastle does seem to trouble the Dolphins, who were quite underwhelming in their clash against Newcastle earlier in the season.
The form overwhelmingly says Dolphins, but the stats do lean towards Newcastle. For instance, Newcastle are on a four-game winning streak vs Dolphins, which is the Dolphins’ worst current losing streak vs any NRL side after they have recently beaten a lot of sides they had previously not beaten since inception. The Dolphins have lost all seven games on a Saturday in a game not in Qld. The Dolphins have lost both of their games in Perth. But at least there have been 132 points scored in those two matches and the average losing margin is four points.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Dolphins by 6 points.
Check out our round 16 predictions here.
Follow Us on Facebook
