Hunt's hand of god seals comeback for the ages in Newcastle

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Newcastle Knights v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Despite being booed off McDonald Jones Stadium at half-time, the Newcastle Knights reversed a 16-0 half-time deficit to defeat Manly Warringah by 26-22 in golden point thanks to some brilliance from young winger Fletcher Hunt.

After an early set-for-set grind, Manly spreaded the ball to the left and had Newcastle shot to bits and it was Tolutau Koula who broke away down the right before kicking in field, before Lehi Hopoate toed ahead before trying to ground the ball. Hopoate spilt the ball trying to ground the ball. The Manly flyer's game would end at this point as he was concussed attempting to score.

Despite both sides losing key players to Category 1 incidents (Tyson Frizell and Hopoate). It didn't stop the Manly attack from motoring without their main man at the back. Reuben Garrick made a fool of the Newcastle left edge as he brushed away from James Schiller and he found Koula to score his ninth try of the season and a 6-0 lead after 12 minutes.

Manly's second try came from pure momentum. Following a ruck infringement by debutant Elijah Leaumoana, Manly were just playing far too laterally for the Knights' defensive systems and Corey Waddell first broke through to put Newcastle on the backfoot. Several plays later, Lachlan Croker went flat to the returning Toafofoa Sipley to charge over.

Newcastle began their implosion with a poor sequence of play. Schiller continued his horror game with an error, penalty and being placed on report before two other Knights (Jack Cogger and Leaumoana) were also placed on report for a dangerous throw.

Following a decisive bust from Koula where he continued his first half rampage, Haumole Olakau'atu made a fool of three defenders on his way to the line and make it 16-0 at the break. The Knights were held to zero yet again this season and were roundly booed off McDonald Jones Stadium at half-time.

Newcastle came out of the break a different football side, playing with shape and a purpose. A great short pass from Cogger sent Kai Pearce-Paul into a yawning gap before finding Fletcher Sharpe who beat the cover tackle of Tommy Talau to score the first try of the second half. Talau would have to go for a HIA following an incident trying to stop the try.

Manly were clocking off as the outside back injuries took their toll. Newcastle took advantage as Cogger sailed the bomb to the air. Flying through the air was rookie Fletcher Hunt who took it on the full over Clayton Faulalo to score.

The Knights continued on the rampage and continued their second half reversal. An early shift to Greg Marzhew saw him break away before finding Kalyn Ponga and then Jack Cogger who was tackled 20 away from the line. On the ensuing play, the home side shifted to the right quicky and it was a fast exchange of passes to find Schiller who redeemed his earlier sins to score in the corner. Gagai's conversion was just away to the left and it was 16-all.

Just as the Knights took momentum. A sequence of plays turned the game, a strong run from Faulalo through some lethargic Knights defence changed all momentum and set up the game-turning try. A shift to the left saw Tommy Talau come back against the grain to beat Sharpe and Brodie Jones to score.

The Knights desperately needed to find another gear to potentially force golden point. Following an explosive Dane Gagai kick return, the hosts went back to the right and it was a Pearce-Paul offload which kickstarted a raid which sent Schiller into the clear. The winger who had a rocks and diamonds night found Sharpe for his second and we were off to Golden Point.

A Ponga bomb went high into the air, the leaping Hunt batted it back into the arms of the QLD fullback to score the game winning try to claim victory out of absolutely nowhere to kickoff Round 14.