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Newcastle players admit their chances of playing finals football comes down to their form over the next few NRL rounds.

Tied with four other teams outside the NRL's top eight, Newcastle know it's close to crunch time if they want to make the finals.

With injuries crippling the Knights in 2021 - representative players Mitchell Pearce, Kalyn Ponga and Edrick Lee have all missed a big chunk of the season - the Knights are desperate to chalk up some wins to keep their season alive.

The good news for the Novacastrian club is Pearce and Ponga have been named to return this weekend, with the timing critical.

"It's close to being make or break, that's the way we've got to look at it," said skipper Daniel Saifiti on Tuesday.

"It's sort of a do-or-die mentality.

"This week definitely puts us in good stead if we get the W, but you don't want to put too much pressure on yourself, just let the game happen naturally and see where we go from there."

Hooker and co-captain Jayden Brailey says it's exciting to finally see the Knights' spine at full strength.

"We've had a pretty up-and-down season with injury this year and every week it seems like we've had guys missing, but it's really great to have those guys coming back and it's a massive positive for us," he said.

"Definitely makes it a whole lot easier and I'm just really excited to have those guys back and put in a good performance."

But Brailey also conceded it was do-or-die time in Newcastle, fully aware of the situation the club finds itself in.

"I think every game from now on is vital for things in terms of our season," he said.

"We've been pretty inconsistent this year obviously, a lot of injuries but in terms of wins and losses we probably haven't been up to scratch.

"A positive thing is we're not far out of the eight, if we can shoot a few games together we're right back in there and fingers crossed we can start things this weekend."