BACK-to-back home games against the two teams Adam O'Brien is yet to conquer as Newcastle's head coach are shaping as vital as the Knights enter the make-or-break phase of their season.
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The Knights host three-times premiers Penrith at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, then, after a bye, return to the same venue to face Parramatta on Saturday, June 29.
Since assuming the reins at Newcastle in 2020, O'Brien has overseen wins against 14 of their 16 rival teams. The only two scalps left on his hit list are Penrith and Parramatta.
The Knights are winless in six starts against the Panthers under O'Brien, although they drew their first clash 14-all in 2020 and lost a golden-point thriller 16-15 last season.
Against the Eels, they have lost their past six games, including five in a row with O'Brien in charge.
There would appear no better time to reverse those trends than urgently, given Newcastle's precarious position on the competition ladder.
After back-to-back losses against Canterbury and Melbourne, they have slipped to 13th, with six wins from 13 games.
While they were in a worse position at the corresponding stage of last season and recovered to make the finals, they clearly need to bank some competition points soon.
Co-captain Jayden Brailey is confident that a win against the three-time premiers can be a pivotal point in Newcastle's campaign.
"It'd be massive," he said. "It'd be huge.
"We've had a lot of good contests with them in the past. We've got a lot of belief that our best footy can beat them.
"We understand they've been the benchmark for a number of years and they've got a lot of strike all around the field. We've got to be at our best, really. And I'm confident that the boys can turn up and play our best footy this weekend. We've prepared really well, and it really would be a turning point."
Even without champion halfback Nathan Cleary, the Knights are wary of Penrith's other NSW Origin playmaker, Jarome Luai.
"I thought he was probably the Blues' best in that [opening] game," Brailey said.
"He's a real running threat, with his left foot. He's got a good kicking game. I'm sure he's going to want to steer them around the park as the leader."
Brailey has been named in the No.9 jersey for Sunday after shuffling. back to the bench in last week's 36-28 loss to Melbourne, as Phoenix Crossland made a rare start.
He appreciated the logic of taking a back seat for a week.
"It's a long footy season," he said. "It's a marathon not a sprint. I guess it takes a little bit of loading off me."
Brailey said he was happy to play in whatever role O'Brien believes best suits the team.
"It's just another opportunity to show something different in my game and develop as a footy player," he said.
"Starting is the goal, but it's not really about whether I'm starting or off the bench. It's more a tactical thing for what the team needs week in, week out."
Brailey said Crossland, who has played in every game for Newcastle this season, had earned a start.
"Every time he slots in there, he plays well," he said of his tag-team dummy-half partner.
While Newcastle have conceded 68 points in their past two games, Brailey said there were positive signs during the loss in Melbourne, in particular the late fightback.
"I thought we showed a lot of resilience in the Storm game," he said. "We leaked too many points, but ... but to fight back and put ourselves in a chance to win that game was really pleasing.
"But we've still got to be better as a footy side."
The Knights will be hoping centre Bradman Best comes through their captain's-run training session without drama, after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
Best will will go head to head with Penrith centre Izack Tago in what could be a shoot-out for the vacant NSW Origin centre spot, after Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i was sent off in the series opener and suspended for four games.
The Blues team is expected to be named on Sunday night.
NRL ROUND 15
SUNDAY, 4.05PM
McDONALD JONES STADIUM
KNIGHTS
1. Fletcher Sharpe
2. Enari Tuala
3. Dane Gagai
4. Bradman Best
5. Greg Marzhew
6. Jack Cogger
7. Jackson Hastings
8. Jacob Saifiti
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Leo Thompson
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Adam Elliott
INTERCHANGE: 14. Phoenix Crossland, 15. Daniel Saifiti, 16. Dylan Lucas, 17. Brodie Jones
PANTHERS
1. Dylan Edwards
2. Sunia Turuva
3. Izack Tago
4. Paul Alamoti
5. Brian To'o
6. Jack Cole
7. Jarome Luai
8. Moses Leota
9. Mitch Kenny
10. James Fisher-Harris
11. Scott Sorensen
12. Luke Garner
13. Isaah Yeo
INTERCHANGE: 14. Daine Laurie, 15. Lindsay Smith, 16. Liam Henry, 17. Matt Eisenhuth.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 55, Knights 24, Panthers 27, 4 draws. In Newcastle: Knights 11, Panthers 15.
REFEREE: Grant Atkins
BETTING: Knights $3.80, Panthers $1.27
OTHER GAMES
SATURDAY
TIGERS v TITANS 3pm
WARRIORS v STORM 5.30pm
EELS v ROOSTERS 7.35pm
SUNDAY
SEA EAGLES v DRAGONS 2pm
