NRL LIVE: Birthday boy’s early double as Knights thrash hapless Souths

These two walking-wounded teams are desperate for a win as Rabbitohs English import Lewis Dodd gets his first start in the NRL against Kalyn Ponga’s Knights.

Souths coach Wayne Bennett initially named Jack Wighton at No. 6 instead of high-priced recruit Lewis Dodd, who was listed on the extended bench.

MATCH CENTRE: South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights, teams, stats, video

But Wighton injured his calf which sees Dodd come into the halves. “It’s been a long time coming, it feels like,” Dodd told reporters at the airport on Thursday.

“I didn’t think it was gonna be easy, I didn’t know if it was gonna go my own way. I wouldn’t have had it any other way – it will make me a better player and better person. At the end of the day, that’s all I can ask for.”

Dodd is expected to play halfback with Jayden Sullivan to shift to five-eighth as the Englishman gets his chance with Wighton, Latrell Mitchell (suspension), Jamie Humphreys (hamstring) and Cody Walker (calf) all sidelined.

Ponga is reportedly battling a painful injury but is still set to play, according to the Newcastle Herald’s Barry Toohey.

The veteran reporter the Newcastle captain suffered the injury in last week’s loss to the Warriors and would play this week after a painkilling injection.

The Knights are looking to snap a five-game losing streak, while Souths have lost three straight.

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