NRL Round 12 Preview - Knights v Sharks @ McDonald Jones Stadium

Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks @ McDonald Jones Stadium
 
Preview - The Knights will be desperate to snap a 3-game losing streak when they take on the surging Sharks in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon. The Knights let a game slip through their fingers as they went down 33-26 to the Titans, despite leading 26-18 with 15 minutes to play. The Sharks are now on the longest winning run in the NRL, having won 5-straight close games after grinding out a 22-16 victory over the Bulldogs at Shark Park, to climb to 5th on the competition ladder after 11 rounds. 
 
Newcastle Knights’ Scouting Report - Halfback Brock Lamb is out for a month in another major blow for the Knights, while Jacob Saifiti will miss 12 weeks with a fractured shoulder. Jack Cogger and Jamie Buhrer are their replacements, with Herman Ese'ese promoted to the starting side after impressing from the bench last week.
 
Cronulla Sharks’ Scouting Report - The Sharks welcome back Luke Lewis who joins Wade Graham in the back row, with those two having missed plenty of football for the Sharks this year. Valentine Holmes will be looking to cement his place on the wing for Queensland with another strong display here. 
 
Verdict - Sharks by 4-12
 
The Sharks know how to win close games, and the wheels are starting to come off the Knights a little bit without Mitchell Pearce. The Knights have been competitive in their last 3 losses, and the Sharks never win easily, so again expecting this to be a close and entertaining game, but the Sharks to win by a try or so and get their sixth win straight.