Both coaches under pressure to deliver

TWO embattled coaches at vastly different ends of their careers face off in a crucial game at Newcastle tonight.

David Furner

TWO embattled coaches at vastly different ends of their careers face off in a crucial game at Newcastle tonight.

As Canberra's season sinks further into the abyss and coach David Furner fights for his career, his rival Wayne Bennett is battling to maintain the support of the Knights' faithful as their losses mount.

A win any way they can get it will be an immediate release of pressure for either man.

Both Furner, at the helm of the Raiders since 2009, and seven-time premiership-winning coach Bennett have reluctantly admitted they are at a loss to explain the continued poor form of their sides.

Canberra's season hit rock bottom in the last round with a 40-0 thrashing at home to the Wests Tigers in shocking conditions.

And the Knights are in the middle of their worst form streak this season having lost four successive games, including last week's 50-24 capitulation to the Broncos.

Furner has again been forced to answer questions about his coaching future, while Bennett has been asked to explain himself from a position he has never experienced before in his decorated 25-year coaching career.

What both coaches have in common heading into the round 14 clash is their willingness to publicly criticise the abject performances of their players, a rarity in modern-day rugby league, and their desperation for a win.

Recalled Knights utility Zeb Taia has indicated Bennett will issue his Knights with a licence to chance their arm against a defence as porous as theirs at Hunter Stadium.

"Our attacking style of football was good last week (against the Broncos)," Taia said. "We showed we can score points and I think we will go out there and play the same style of footy this week."

Furner has retained his key offensive weapon Josh Dugan at five-eighth in a sign the Raiders will also look to attack their way out of the hole they are in.

The Knights are likely to follow the Tigers' game plan from last week, when they aimed the majority of their attack down Dugan's side to tire the enigmatic star and blunt his spark.

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