Former Blues coach Brad Fittler said Knights coach Adam O’Brien knew exactly what his side would have to do to perform in Kalyn Ponga’s absence.
And given they’ve won their last four on the trot, they’ve done it perfectly.
“I remember speaking to Adam O’Brien that week … and he said, you know what? They’re all just going to have to work harder,” he said on Nine’s Freddy and the Eighth.
“And that’s what they’ve done.”
Ponga suffered a foot injury in the Knight’s round eight loss to the Bulldogs – which was the last match the Knights lost.
At that point, the Knights were 2-5 and their season was teetering, but are now 6-5 and inside the eight.
In Ponga’s absence, David Armstrong has been a superstar in his first four matches.
Despite being the team to last beat the Knights, the loss of Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton to Origin duties, and Viliami Kikau with injury will mean the Knights – who are mostly full-strength – go in heavy favourites.
The Knights have won their last four matches on the trot. Getty