Phoenix Crossland has likened the build-up to Newcastle's do-or-die clash with the Dolphins to the Knights' storied run into last year's finals series, the "best couple of weeks" of the halfback's life.
The winner of Sunday's match at McDonald Jones Stadium will clinch the remaining spot in the NRL's top eight and banish the loser to a season without finals.
The prospective eighth-placed teams have endured middling seasons, Newcastle struggling for flair amid constant changes in the halves and the Dolphins rocked by a mid-season form slump.
Crossland conceded the Knights had "left it til late" to announce themselves as a serious football team, but looks back fondly on their similarly fast-finishing 2023 campaign.
Newcastle strung together a nine-game winning streak last season that included an extra-time defeat of Canberra in the first week of the finals.
"It was the best couple of weeks of my life, playing for the Knights and getting a home final," Crossland said.
"I'm getting those same vibes this week. I know it's not finals but for us it kind of is, it's do or die.
"The crowd will be just the same as the Raiders game last year, the elimination final. It's pretty cool, good time of year."
The Knights will draw on the four-word mantra they adopted during the pre-season as they look to confirm back-to-back finals appearances.
"Tradition, grit, inspire, win" have been the buzzwords this year, Crossland identifying the second of those as particularly vital on Sunday.
"(The mantra) is what we try and represent every day," he said.
"Grit's a good one for this weekend. I know the Dolphins are going to be coming down looking for a fight."
Newcastle appear to have finally landed on a winning halves combination in former hooker Crossland and premiership-winning recruit Jack Cogger after changing their pairing eight times this year.
The Knights have scored a season-high 36 points in both games since making the switch, having averaged an NRL-worst 18 per game across the 21 matches before that.
Crossland has leant heavily on attack coach Blake Green in reverting to the position of his youth.
"It's been a bit of a challenge for myself," Crossland said.
"I haven't really tried to change my game too much from playing nine, I still just try and get after it, defend well and run the footy, which is what I try and do at nine anyway."
