Newcastle Knights play Sydney Roosters: NRLW round 8

A win for either side puts them two points clear of the field in the race for the minor premiership with one round remaining.

A win for Newcastle should also secure an historic home semi-final.

Add into the mix the return of prop Millie Boyle, who led the Knights to championship glory last year before signing a five-year contract with the Roosters, and there is plenty at stake.

But Knights coach Ron Griffiths maintained this weekend was no different to any other.

"That might seem like coaches' rhetoric, but with the closeness of the competition ... every game is big," Griffiths said.

"And, no doubt they're going extremely well, so it's going to be a great day."

On Boyle, he had this to say: "It's not the first time they've played against her and no doubt Millie's a quality player but so's the rest of their side, so our focal point won't be Millie."

The Knights are sure to be be plotting a hostile reception for Boyle and her flying Roosters, who have scored more tries than any other team in the competition and conceded less.

The Roosters have produced 47 tries in seven outings and conceded 15 while the Knights have crossed the try line 32 times and been scored against on 21 occasions.

Both teams are on five-game winning streaks and the Knights are unbeaten at McDonald Jones Stadium this year.

Newcastle came from behind to beat Canberra 20-12 last round while the Roosters defeated Parramatta 46-12.

"Four weeks in a row, they've lapped teams quite comfortably," Griffiths said.

"They're going well ... but we're certainly comfortable with where we're at, and the performance that we rolled out on the weekend was our best by far.

"We spoke all along about building to get to where we need to be when the time is right, so we feel like we're doing that nicely."

Record NRLW crowds have turned up for Newcastle's past two home games, which have been double-headers with their male counterparts.

The game on Saturday (1.30pm) is the second match of an NRLW double-header with Brisbane playing the West Tigers at 11.30am.

On Sunday, the Knights men are set to battle Canberra in an elimination semi-final in front of a sell-out home crowd.

"It's marvellous that we've got the NRLW double-header and then the next day is obviously going to be a great day for our club as well,"Griffiths said.

"It's going to be a fantastic weekend of rugby league in Newcastle and it's a rugby league stronghold so no doubt we'll get solid support both days."

In the only change to Newcastle's side this week, debutante Jacy Carter comes onto the interchange bench as a late replacement for front-rower Viena Tinao, who broke a bone in her foot against the Raiders.

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