Four-try Fusitua leads Warriors romp in the Hunter

v BYE

David Fusitua crossed four times to lead a rout by the Warriors 50-14 in front of 12,222 fans at Hunter Stadium. 

The Warriors backed up their huge victory over the Broncos last weekend, with a thorough demolition of the Knights to put themselves on the fringe of the top eight. 

The embatttled Knights were in the contest for the first 50 minutes but once Fusitua crossed for his third and fourth tries, the game was right out of their reach. The winger with some sublime putdowns to put the Knights to the sword. 

Shaun Johnson was also at his energetic best - just hunted around the ruck and at every opportunity sent the ball down the fragile right side of the Knights that leaked most of the second half points. 

The final scoreline won't show the fight that the Knights showed in the first half. Warriors ran out to a quick 10-nil lead through Vete and Fusitua and it looked like a long afternoon ahead again much like it was across the ditch earlier this season. 

But the Knights dug in, and a fending effort from Sione Mata'utia got them on the board. Brendan Elliot on debut added their second and it was 16-12 as it edged into the break. 

It seemed once they got close though, the Warriors just edged ahead again. Manu Vatuvei got his third of the season after Mata'utia's try and late on the Warriors had five sets on the try-line. The pressure eventually tolled which allowed Bodene Thompson to stroll over just before the break to make it 22-12. Knights cut it back to eight following a late Hodkinson penalty goal. 

The second stanza was all the visitors. Fusitua, Vete and Kata all got themselves four-pointers to make it the second half century against the Novacastrians this season and make it 90 points for the New Zealander's in two fixtures against the Knights. 

Next week the Knights have a bye while the Warriors are back home to host the Roosters in a rare Channel 9 telecast game on Sunday afternoon, kickoff 6pm local.