Canberra have the unenviable task of facing Newcastle in their first home final since 2006 but Adam Elliott is warning that his ex-teammates will have no fear entering the in-form Knights’ cauldron.
After being thrown a lifeline by the Raiders last season, Elliott reinvigorated a career hampered by off-field incidents and parlayed his strong form into a deal with the Knights for 2023.
His work at lock has been pivotal in a win streak that could stretch to 10 when they host Canberra in the first week of the finals.
Since claiming only two victories at McDonald Jones Stadium last year, the Knights have restored Newcastle’s status as one of the hardest away trips in the league.
They have the equal-best home record of any side in the NRL this year, winning nine of 13 games in their own backyard and losing only once there since April.
Newcastle’s last two games at McDonald Jones Stadium attracted their two largest home crowds in a decade and they are set to start favourites before another full house on Sunday.
But Elliott said the Raiders, who have played finals in the three of the past four seasons, would be primed for the hostile conditions.
“The occasion doesn’t scare anyone in that side,” Elliott told AAP.
“They’ve got a lot of experience there, they’ve got some blokes that have played for their country, a lot of blokes have played State of Origin.
“They’ve played in a lot of big games.
“I’ve got a mountain of respect for them and the rest of the team does as well. We know we’re coming up against a really quality opposition this weekend.”
Elliott is playing some of the best football of his career, most recently setting up the opening try against St George Illawarra and running more than 100 metres for a fifth-straight week.
It comes after a cruel start at his new club, when the 28-year-old aggravated an existing groin injury after one game.
He missed 10 weeks and credits the pain of sitting out for sparking his upswing in form.
“I hated missing games. I hated coming to the club and missing 10 games in a row,” Elliott said.
“I don’t want that to happen again so I’m trying to do everything I can off the field to make sure physically I’m right to go on the field – around nutrition, eating the right food and getting the right amount of sleep, just doing a little bit of extra stuff that could help me turn up physically each week.
“Obviously stuff with that injury that was really annoying and frustrating and niggling (but) I think that if I didn’t have that, I don’t know whether I would have treated it as seriously.”
