Match Discussion: Round 19 vs Melbourne @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 19
Newcastle Knights v Melbourne Storm
McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal (TICKETS)

Saturday 12 July 2025
NRL kickoff 3:00pm
Live on Fox, Kayo

1. Fletcher Hunt 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jackson Hastings 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Tyson Frizell 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Mathew Croker 16. Jermaine McEwen 17. Brodie Jones 18. Thomas Cant 19. James Schiller 20. Tyson Gamble 21. Jack Hetherington 22. Kyle McCarthy

Out: Kalyn Ponga (fullback), Thomas Cant (bench to reserve), James Schiller (wing to reserve)
In: Fletcher Hunt (fullback), Greg Marzhew (wing), Leo Thompson (front row)
Changes: Jayden Brailey (hooker to bench), Tyson Frizell (front row to lock), Phoenix Crossland (lock to hooker)

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Grant Anderson 3. Joe Chan 4. Nick Meaney 5. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 14. Jonah Pezet 15. Stefano Utoikamanu 16. Lazarus Vaalepu 17. Ativalu Lisati 18. Jack Howarth 19. Trent Loiero 20. Cameron Munster 21. Harry Grant 22. Kane Bradley 23. Moses Leo 24. Keagan Russell-Smith

Out: Alec MacDonald (lock), Kane Bradley (wing to reserve)
In: Ryan Papenhuyzen (fullback), Stefano Utoikamanu (bench)
Changes: Nick Meaney (fullback to centre), Grant Anderson (centre to wing), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (bench to lock)

Referee: Todd Smith
Sideline Officials: Jon Stone, Drew Oultram
Video Referee: Ashley Klein

HEAD TO HEAD - 1998 - 2024​

	TOTAL	NEWCASTLE	MELBOURNE	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	48	17	31	0
MCD. JONES	21	12	9	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2021	Round 18	MELBOURNE 48-4	Cbus Super	3874
2022	Round 8	MELBOURNE 50-2	McD. Jones	15895
2023	Round 21	NEWCASTLE 26-18	McD. Jones	20392
2024	Round 3	NEWCASTLE 14-12	McD. Jones	21889
2024	Round 14	MELBOURNE 36-28	AAMI	20269

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2000	Round 2	NEWCASTLE 38-6	Marathon	16155
2001	Round 19	NEWCASTLE 48-16	Marathon	21367
2022	Round 8	MELBOURNE 50-2	McD. Jones	15895

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 20	Round 21	Round 22	Round 23
NEWCASTLE	WARRIORS (H)	CANBERRA (A)	(BYE)	PENRITH (H)
MELBOURNE	MANLY (H)	SYDNEY (A)	PARRAMATTA (A)	BRISBANE (H)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 16		Round 17		Round 18
NEWCASTLE	DOLPHINS	W 26-20	CANBERRA	L 18-22	BYE	-
MELBOURNE	SOUTH SYDNEY	W 25-24	CRONULLA	W 30-6	NORTH QLD	W 26-20

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
NEWCASTLE	13th	16	2	6-10-0	237	304
MELBOURNE	2nd	15	3	11-4-0	485	283

LOWER GRADES
NEWCASTLE	MELBOURNE
NSW Cup v South Sydney, McDonald Jones Stadium, Saturday, 12:30pm Jersey Flegg v South Sydney, Newcastle Knights COE, Sunday, 12:30pm	Hostplus Cup (Brisbane Tigers & Sunshine Coast) BYE NSW Cup (North Sydney) v Canterbury, North Sydney Oval, Sunday, 3:00pm Jersey Flegg v Canterbury, Seabrook Reserve, Saturday, 2:00pm

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Do we have to?

 

[Knight Tales]

Christ! The run from here is bleak. Let us hope the kids getting their chance really take it and then some. So we can remain competitive.

 

[mozza91]

We’ve been decent the last month against good opposition there’s no reason we can’t be competitive. Beat them the last 2 times in Newcastle. A few of their blokes missing after Origin wouldn’t hurt either.

 

[macavity]

This has 50 written all over it

 

[The Axe of Druss]

If they rest Grant, Munster and Utu then we are a chance

If they dont.....

 

[Woody90]

We won’t lose by 50, but can’t see any way we can win with who our spine likely will be and either.

It’ll be something like 26-6 to the Storm. Bellache was filthy with their performance last week and they don’t play badly 2 weeks in a row.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Crossland was going great at lock so what does AOB do? Move him back to hooker...

 

[League Unlimited News]

1. Fletcher Hunt 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jackson Hastings 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Tyson Frizell

14. Jayden Brailey 15. Mathew Croker 16. Jermaine McEwen 17. Brodie Jones

18. Thomas Cant 19. James Schiller 20. Tyson Gamble 21. Jack Hetherington 22. Kyle McCarthy

Out: Kalyn Ponga (fullback), Thomas Cant (bench to reserve), James Schiller (wing to reserve)

In: Fletcher Hunt (fullback), Greg Marzhew (wing), Leo Thompson (front row)

Changes: Jayden Brailey (hooker to bench), Tyson Frizell (front row to lock), Phoenix Crossland (lock to hooker)

NRL TEAMS - 2025 Round 19 » League Unlimited

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[Yosh]

1. Fletcher Hunt 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jackson Hastings 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Tyson Frizell

14. Jayden Brailey 15. Mathew Croker 16. Jermaine McEwen 17. Brodie Jones

18. Thomas Cant 19. James Schiller 20. Tyson Gamble 21. Jack Hetherington 22. Kyle McCarthy

Out: Kalyn Ponga (fullback), Thomas Cant (bench to reserve), James Schiller (wing to reserve)

In: Fletcher Hunt (fullback), Greg Marzhew (wing), Leo Thompson (front row)

Changes: Jayden Brailey (hooker to bench), Tyson Frizell (front row to lock), Phoenix Crossland (lock to hooker)

NRL TEAMS - 2025 Round 19 » League Unlimited

leagueunlimited.com

That spine!

Hunt vs Papenhuyzen
Hastings vs Munster
Cogger vs Hughes
Crossland vs Grant

We all know where this game will be won or lost!

 

[mozza91]

I doubt Munster will play. Hopefully Grant picks up a niggle in Origin too.

 

[Burwood]

20 minutes for Phoenix to start at hooker, and then shift him the rest of the game to lock to accommodate Brailey.

 

[Woody90]

Hate the Crossland is back in the 9. Everyone else as expected. I would have picked Gamble though.

Edit: Cant being the forward dropped is good though.

 

[Zoidberg]

Gamble on extended bench so there’s still a chance he gets picked. Not that it’s going to help too much.

 

[Old dog]

Gamble gives us better options than Hastings

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Munster, Coates, and Paps all out tomorrow... Grant still on the extended bench

 

[Zoidberg]

Munster, Coates, and Paps all out tomorrow... Grant still on the extended bench

Hmmm, gives me hope.

 

[mozza91]

Reckon we’ll be up for this. A win isn’t as unlikely as it usually would be.
f**k it Knights by 6. Lucas to get a double and MOTM.

 

[Woody90]

Their spine is still a lot better than ours.

Im fully prepared for Pezet to have a blinder off the bench and probably score a try to add insult to injury lol.

 

[Yosh]

Reckon we’ll be up for this. A win isn’t as unlikely as it usually would be.
f**k it Knights by 6. Lucas to get a double and MOTM.

You're a masochist! You know that right? We're gonna be in a world of pain tomorrow.