NRL: Canberra Raiders put pressure on Newcastle Knights not to choke in finals

Everyone has written the Raiders off, with the Knights on a nine-game winning streak leading into their knockout clash at Newcastle Stadium.

Everyone except the Green Machine, who have become masters at pulling off upset away trips in finals - including knocking off the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne in an elimination final last year.

On top of that Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has an outstanding week-one finals record as a coach - winning seven of eight during his career.

Canberra fullback Jordan Rapana has doubled down on their confidence by declaring it's the high-flying Knights who have everything to lose on Sunday.

The Knights were outright favourites as they welcome back star fullback Kalyn Ponga (shoulder) and halfback Jackson Hastings (ankle) to their side.

While Newcastle come into the game on a winning streak, the Green Machine have struggled in recent weeks, winning just two of their final seven games of the regular season.

They've also struggled against the Knights in recent years, having won two of their past seven meetings.

But that effectively gives Canberra a free swing in the do-or-die final.

"I think confidence is really good - this is the most relaxed I've ever felt going into finals," Rapana told The Canberra Times.

"I think that's purely the fact no one's given us a chance or everyone just expects the Knights to put a cricket score on us.

"I believe the pressure's on them. They're nine in a row.

"There's no taking anything away from them - they're going awesome and credit where it's due - but in saying that when you're on a roll like that your first loss is only just around the corner.

"As we know it's do-or-die games now. I'd like to think when the pressure's high it's easy to crumble.

"I feel the majority of this year we've won some close, tight games and we know finals footy is tight games.

"I feel we've been put in a lot tighter situations throughout the year than they have and I'd like to think that'll pay dividends for us."

Raiders co-captain Elliott Whitehead was confident his team could travel up to Newcastle and cause a boilover.

Putting further pressure on the Knights was the fact it's not only a sellout on Sunday - but it's also the first home final at Newcastle since 2006.

That meant the Knights carry the Steel City's almost 20 years of pent-up expectations on their shoulders.

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"No one's expecting us to go up there and win, but we've got the belief and confidence that we can go up there and cause an upset," Whitehead said.

"We've had a good week, we're full of energy and we're just looking to go up there and hopefully putting on a good show.

"We're just confident about this week and all our focus is going up to Newcastle and proving a lot of people wrong.

"We like being the underdog and we've got that tag this weekend so hopefully we can prove everybody wrong."

The Knights have only played two finals since they made the preliminary final in 2013, with that year the last time they'd won in the post-season.

In contrast the Green Machine have played finals four of the past five years.

Rapana pointed to that history, including that Storm win, and felt they could draw on that experience.

"We've gone down to Melbourne in the past in prelims and semis and not expected to win and we've come away with the chocolates," he said.

"Nothing changes for us here. We've just got to make sure that we're worrying about ourselves and competing well, and doing all those little things right.

"I feel as though if we do those little things right, from little things big things come about.

"We know semi-final footy is totally different to season games. I believe we're in a good headspace and we're ready to go up there and try our best to cause an upset."

NRL ELIMINATION FINAL

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights at Newcastle, 4.05pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. James Schiller, 3. Jack Wighton, 4. Matt Timoko, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Matt Frawley, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Ata Mariota, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Hohepa Puru. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Trey Mooney. Reserves: 18. Jarrod Croker (c), 19. Albert Hopoate, 20. Danny Levi, 21. Ethan Strange, 22. Xavier Savage.

Knights squad: 1. Kalyn Ponga (c), 2. Dominic Young, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Tyson Gamble, 7. Jackson Hastings, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Leo Thompson, 11. Tyson Frizell (c), 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14. Kurt Mann, 15. Daniel Saifiti, 16. Jack Hetherington, 17. Mat Croker. Reserves: 18. Adam Clune, 19. Lachlan Miller, 20. Dylan Lucas, 21. Enari Tuala, 22. Brodie Jones.

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