After letting slip an opportunity to move into second place on the competition ladder last weekend the NYC Sharks will be intent on bouncing straight back when they tackle the Knights on Sunday.
The young Sharks suffered a disappointing 22-16 loss to the bottom-placed Manly Sea Eagles last weekend in a match that had been deferred since round three in perhaps their most disappointing result of 2016.
However in a season that has produced more positives than negatives so far, with the under-20 Sharks registering six wins in nine starts, they will head to Newcastle confident of producing a much-improved performance.
Coach John Morris despite being his team being under-par at Brookvale last Saturday named an unchanged line-up when he announced his squad on Tuesday, with Billy Magoulias included after escaping suspension for a high tackle and Zac Faulker retained after playing solidly in his first game in the NYC his year.
What Morris will be looking for however will be a more controlled effort from his halves combination and some improved discipline from all concerned after his team was on the wrong end of a lopsided penalty count last weekend.
While the first nine rounds have been good for the Sharks, the Knights have themselves managed five wins and a draw in a solid beginning to their season and will no doubt provide the Cronulla side with another tough examination.
Like the Sharks though the Knights will be keen to rebound from a last-start loss, with the Newcastle boys seeing a five-match unbeaten streak broken in a 34-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters.
In that match the Knights were without star five eighth Brock Lamb and that status quo will remain this weekend, with the local youngster again selected in the Newcastle NRL squad.
But while Lamb will be missing his halves partner Jack Cogger is a player of immense talent and will have to be contained by the Sharks should they hope to be successful on Sunday.
A win for the Knights would see them jump the Sharks on the NYC table, with a Cronulla victory having the potential to move them into the top four.
The match is scheduled to get underway at 9.40am at Hunter Stadium as the first of three games to be contested on the day.
