Returning Newcastle forward Jamie Buhrer has declared the Knights' clash with the Wests Tigers as their NRL grand final as they desperately try to avoid a third straight wooden spoon.
The NRL came under fire earlier this week for referring to Sunday's clash as "the battle for the spoon" in a marketing email to members, and have since apologised.
But Buhrer, on return from a foot injury, admitted his team were approaching the game as a vital one as they look to put a gap between them and the last-placed Tigers.
"This game is incredibly important," Buhrer said.
"You would be naive to think that everyone doesn't think of it as a battle for that.
"This is our grand final. And there's no better place to do it at home in front of 20,000."
Between them, the two struggling clubs have won just five of 29 games this year to sit six points behind their nearest opponents on the ladder.
The Knights are ranked 15th, ahead of the Tigers on for-and-against, but with one less win having already had their second bye.
They also have the struggling Canterbury next week, who will be without their three State of Origin players and captain James Graham,.
"We've put a lot of focus onto our block of games, we feel we need to step up and distance ourselves from the bottom of the ladder," Buhrer said.
The Knights will welcome Trent Hodkinson back at halfback for Sunday's game, after a long stint in reserve grade.
"It'll be great for us," Buhrer said.
"Hodko has been the ultimate professional throughout the process. He went back and worked on his game. He's had some really good games.
"At his best is an Origin matchwinner. He knows how to finish games off and he's definitely someone that we're going to rely on heavily over the next 10 weeks."
Tigers coach Ivan Cleary also said he was undeterred by the suggestion Sunday's match was a battle for the wooden spoon.
"They're just trying to publicise the game," he said.
"So however they do that ... Obviously both sides are where they are.
"Every game has its own set of circumstances and obviously both sides are pretty keen to do well in this game."
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