Newcastle Knights coach Adam O’Brien, under pressure himself, hopes his side can arrest the slide down the bottom of the ladder when they face Penrith at Carrington Park on Saturday night 24 May before a sell-out crowd in Bathurst.

"They are a structured side so we have to stay connected and present one line against them in defence because at anytime they can’t turn it on," he said.

O’Brien says despite missing key players through injury and State of Origin commitments the Knights can bounce back.

"It's difficult when we have so many players missing at the same time but Penrith also has personnel missing so hopefully things will level out."

Penrith Panthers bill this match as a home game so will have major support in the stand but with Warren’s country rookie Fletcher Hunt retaining his spot on the wing communities from his hometown and Nyngan his old side will boost Novacastrian fan base.

Coach O’Brien says Hunt ‘will be better for the run’.

"I was very proud of him last week, he had some good moments," he said.

"Playing kids before they should be has been tough but Fletcher is a strong trier."

Fletcher, all of 20, has again received a mountain of support in Warren and Nyngan where the local newspaper devoting almost two pages to its newest star and social media going crazy.