NRL 2025 fixture analysis: Newcastle Knights

The Newcastle Knights snuck into the finals again in 2024, and have the fixture list to repeat the dose in 2025 if they are good enough.

Here is everything you need to know for the Knights' run through the 2025 NRL campaign.

Teams to play twice
Wests Tigers (Round 1, 6), The Dolphins (Round 2, 16), Gold Coast Titans (Round 3, 10), Cronulla Sharks (Round 7, 26), New Zealand Warriors (Round 8, 20), Parramatta Eels (Round 11, 27), Penrith Panthers (Round 12, 23), Canberra Raiders (Round 17, 21)

The Knights, according to the mathematical scale using last year's ladder at least, face the second easiest list of double ups in the NRL for 2025.

The truth could be somewhere in between, but they do face the Titans, Dolphins, Warriors and Raiders twice, as well as the Eels and Tigers who could be set to improve.

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Four-time defending premiers the Panthers are on their double-up list and so too are the Sharks, but they are the only teams they clash with twice out of the 2024 top eight.

Travel schedule
The Knights face a below-average amount of travel by all the key metrics, and will have just rounds where they need to fly in 2024.

They will spend plenty of time in the bus tracking back and forth to Sydney, and given they are not based in Sydney, also face a tough trek to Christchurch in Round 8 for a game against the Warriors before heading to Brisbane for Magic Round the weekend after.

A trip to Perth in Round 16 also blows out their travel time for 2025.

Turnaround times
The Knights face only a single five-day turnaround, and five six-day turnarounds throughout the 2025 campaign.

The five-day turnaround comes in arguably the worst game of the season for it, ahead of their trip to Christchurch.

The six-day turnarounds are heavily concentrated through the middle of the season, with back-to-back six-day efforts in Round 13 and 14.

All of that leaves them with plenty of long turnarounds, particularly at the end of the season. Their last turnaround of less than seven days is ahead of Round 17.

Start of the season
The Knights have a very manageable start to the season, and if they are going to play finals football, we will likely have a good idea of it by the end of Round 6.

They clash with the Wests Tigers twice in that time, as well as the Dolphins (home), Titans (away) and Bulldogs (away).

The Bulldogs are a tough opponent, but the rest of the games are ones the Knights should be winning if they are a top eight hope.

The Origin period
The Knights will be forced to play games before Origin 1 and 2, although the first of those will be against a likely decimated Penrith Panthers, and the other against the Sydney Roosters who could be in for a difficult 2025 season.

Newcastle will have the bye before Origin 3 in a boost, but it's their only bye of the Origin period.

They clash with the Dragons after Game 1, the Dolphins after Game 2, and the Storm after Game 3.

Kalyn Ponga is likely to be the only Origin player for the club however.

The run home
A much tougher run home awaits the Knights than the start to the season.

After a bye in Round 22, they clash with four-time defending premiers the Panthers, then head to Townsville to play the Cowboys.

After that, they are home to play the Broncos, before doubling up on trips to Sydney to close the season against the Sharks and Eels.

Toughest stretch
While that close to the season is tough, there is a harder stretch for the Knights. They play the Sharks in Round 7 at home, then have five days to get to Christchurch to play the Warriors.

After that, they return to play Wayne Bennett's Rabbitohs during Magic Round. If they start the season strongly - as they need to do - maintaining momentum during that period will be critical to their long-term chances.

Easiest stretch
It's the first three weeks. While rust is always evident at the start of the campaign, it doesn't get any more straightforward than the Tigers, Dolphins and Titans to start the season.

They need to be at least two from three.

Games to watch
Round 5, vs Canterbury Bulldogs, at Accor Stadium, Sun, Apr 6, 6:15pm
Round 12, vs Penrith Panthers, at Carrington Park, Sat, May 24, 5:30pm
Round 19, vs Melbourne Storm, at McDonald Jones Stadium, Sat, Jul 12, 3pm
Round 23, vs Penrith Panthers, at McDonald Jones Stadium, Fri, Aug 8, 6pm
Round 25, vs Brisbane Broncos, at McDonald Jones Stadium, Sun, Aug 24, 2pm

The must-win games
Round 1, vs Wests Tigers, at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Fri, Mar 7, 6pm
Round 9, vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, at Suncorp Stadium, Sat, May 3, 3pm
Round 13, vs St George Illawarra Dragons, at Netstratta Jubilee Stadium, Fri, May 30, 8pm
Round 17, vs Canberra Raiders, at McDonald Jones Stadium, Fri, Jun 27, 8pm
Round 27, vs Parramatta Eels, at CommBank Stadium, Sun, Sep 7, 4:05pm

Full fixtures