Knights v Tigers NRL R20 tips & value bets – July 14, 2023

Newcastle Knights v Wests Tigers best bets

Knights v Tigers NRL match preview

Round 20 of the 2023 NRL Premiership kicks off in Newcastle with the Knights hosting the Wests Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium.

These two sides met in round two in a dramatic clash where the Knights lost captain Kalyn Ponga (concussion), hooker Jayden Brailey (knee) and forward Jacob Saifiti (sent off) before securing a two-point win. Will we see more fireworks this Friday night?

The Knights have received a boost with experienced centre Dane Gagai returning from injury to replace Enari Tuala. Fellow centre Bradman Best will make his State of Origin debut for the New South Wales Blues on Wednesday night but is expected to back up, as is the aforementioned Saifiti.

The Tigers have received a major boost with captain Apisai Koroisau named to return at hooker after several weeks out with a busted jaw. Jake Simpkin will come off the interchange bench and Alex Twal returns from suspension, with Aitasi James and Tallyn Da Silva dropping to the reserves.

Knights v Tigers betting predictions

The Tigers enter this game on a five-game losing streak and sit in last place on the NRL Ladder. Meanwhile, the Knights sit in 14th position on the ladder, albeit just two wins outside of the top eight.

Led by Ponga at fullback, the home side should find scoring points particularly easy against this struggling Tigers outfit. The $2.12 on offer at BetOnline is brilliant value for the Knights to win by 13+ points.

A fortnight ago, when the Knights travelled to take on the Bulldogs, it was Ponga who put on an attacking clinic to orchestrate a 66-point victory. In just 16 runs the star fullback broke nine tackles and two defensive lines to go with three line-break assists and three try assists.

It is rare to see Ponga have such an outstanding game without scoring. Should he find the same form this Friday night, he will be a real chance to score at least two tries ($6).

An impressive performance from Ponga should also benefit Dominic Young on the wing. The young Englishman is often the main target of Ponga’s incredible right-to-left passing game, which is a big reason why he sits at the top of the tryscorers list for this season. Get on Young at $1.54 to score a try at any time.

Key matchup: Jackson Hastings v Brandon Wakeham

Jackson Hastings vs Brandon Wakeham

Jackson Hastings, a former Tiger, was instrumental in guiding the Knights to a much-needed win at Leichhardt Oval with the way he organised his teammates and kicked the football throughout play. Brandon Wakeham will need to play a similar role for the Tigers this Friday, and if he is unable to guide his side in the same fashion as Hastings can, obtaining the win will be difficult.

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