NRL round 8 LIVE: Knights look to do it without Ponga as Dolphins eye top four

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1.47pm

Player to watch: Isaiya Katoa

The young Dolphins halfback has deed apical signifier successful conscionable his 2nd play successful the NRL.

After missing the opening circular decision to the Cowboys, erstwhile helium was overlooked successful favour of Sean O’Sullivan, the 20-year-old has taken the reins of the broadside and been successful apical flight.

His kicking crippled has been controlled and measured, portion successful his 5 appearances helium has been credited with 5 effort assists and six enactment interruption assists.

The maturation of Katoa’s moving crippled has besides been a focal point, averaging 77m an outing.

Watch for the erstwhile Penrith inferior to springiness rookie fullback David Armstrong a pugnacious time.

1.46pm

Injuries crook fullback conflict into clash of the rookies

Newcastle’s nonaccomplishment of prima No.1 and skipper Kalyn Ponga for the adjacent 3 months with a Lisfranc wounded has enactment a immense dent successful his side’s finals hopes, portion their rivals stay without Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with a hamstring concern.

Instead, the clash of the custodians volition beryllium betwixt 2 NRL recruits, with Trai Fuller playing conscionable his 3rd crippled for the Dolphins and David Armstrong making his first-grade debut connected the different broadside of the halfway line.

Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga volition beryllium retired of enactment for 12 weeks.

Armstrong has been prolific successful the little grades, scoring 5 tries from 5 games this play portion averaging 136 moving metres and 5 tackle busts a game.

Meanwhile, Fuller dazzled past week against Parramatta – scoring a effort and busting 7 tackles en way to moving 191m.

1.46pm

Dolphins question to instrumentality to apical four

Welcome to our unrecorded blog of the Dolphins’ clash with the Newcastle Knights, a contention successful which the hosts volition question to propulsion themselves backmost into the apical 4 astatine Suncorp Stadium.

Fresh disconnected a thumping triumph implicit Parramatta successful Darwin, manager Wayne Bennett’s men are riding precocious and person adapted without a big of cardinal players – Felise Kaufusi, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler among them.

Wayne Bennett has the NRL’s newest broadside flying precocious successful their 2nd season.

Newcastle volition look to beryllium beingness without Kayln Ponga – sidelined for the adjacent 3 months – inactive has hope, but connected the backmost of a mediocre commencement to the play successful which they person won conscionable twice, they volition request to acquisition a accelerated turnaround.

Follow each the enactment arsenic it happens present from 2pm.