Melbourne Storm and NSW forward Brett White believes the Newcastle Knights are a dark-horse to take out the NRL Telstra Premiership.<br><br>While a lot of the focus has been on the Dragons, Bulldogs and Melbourne this year, the Knights have silently gone about their business and are one of five teams locked on 20 competition points.<br><br>White believes the Knights have the potential to blow the competition wide open after they gave Melbourne an almighty scare at Olympic Park last week, with the Storm only securing victory in the dying minutes of a bruising encounter.<br><br>“I think they are the quite achievers, they are slowly creeping in there,” he said.<br><br>“They are playing some great football and they are really well coached.<br><br>“Kurt Gidley is really leading the way for them and I think they play a lot off him, they will be a force later in the year, that’s for sure.”<br><br>Newcastle were unlucky to miss out on the finals in 2008, they amassed 28 competition points, which would have seen them make the finals any other year this decade.<br><br>In fact, 28 points was the second highest total in NRL history to miss out on finals football.<br><br>White has no doubt the Knights will be a force in the final rounds of the competition and said teams would not want to come up against them in the finals.<br><br>“The game against Newcastle was a tough one,” he said.<br><br>“I think this year we have really noticed teams aiming up against us, especially at Olympic Park.<br><br>“They came down with a lot of confidence and matched us for 70 minutes, it was only the last bit that we were able to get back and luckily win the game.<br><br>“It was a tight game and certainly playing those type of games helps us later with our run into the finals.”<br><br>The Knights play the Raiders on Saturday night at EnergyAustralia Stadium and will be confident of making the finals with only three away games out of their last eight.<br><br>With the finals race heating up, every game is vital and while the Knights are happy flying under the radar, White believes they are one of a number of contenders for this year’s Premiership.<br><br>“I think because the teams are so close this year, everyone is on the same sort of level,” he said.<br><br>“I don’t think there is a standout team, everyone is fighting for it. <br><br>“It’s great for the NRL and the supporters out there because the competition is so even this year.”<br><br><b>The Knights' run home: </b><br>Raiders<br>Bye<br>Sea Eagles - AWAY<br>Roosters<br>Eels - AWAY<br>Storm<br>Cowboys<br>Raiders – AWAY<br>Panthers<br>
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