Match Centre

And that's the game. The Knights have run out winners 40-10. Both teams have missed out on the eight. The Knights came home with a wet sail late in the season, but a couple of losses mid season really hurt them.

Newcastle Knights 40-10

Marshall attempts a kick on the last, but it doesn't work as well as he was hoping, and the Knights pick it up easily.

Newcastle Knights 40-4

It's no try. Chris Houston is ruled to have obstructed play, and Gidley is turned down. Gidley isn't happy, but the referees don't want to hear about it.

Newcastle Knights 40-4

Checking the video referee again. Kurt Gidley looks to have scored under the posts, but we're checking the grounding. He looks to have a lost the ball, but it may be because of foul play from Gerard Beale. The referee seems to think Beale led with his boots to stop the try.

Newcastle Knights 40-4

Sione Mata'utia fields a kick, and runs 50 metres down field before linking with Timana Tahu. Tahu is tackled, but the Knights continue to march down field.

Newcastle Knights 40-4

Dugan tries to spark something, but gets drilled by the markers.

Newcastle Knights 40-4

Wadell slices up the middle now. The Dragons defence is getting pretty lazy around the ruck.

Newcastle Knights 40-4

A knockon is ruled against the Dragons. Dugan looked to be just attempting to make a tackle, but the ball came loose and Dugan hit it with his arm. The Knights will attack from deep in the Dragons' half.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

The Knights throwing the ball around a bit late in the game, with some offloads and no look passes starting to creep in.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

On the last, Marshall attempts to pass to Merrin, but the ball went forward and a scrum will pack.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

On the last, Marshall attempts to pass to Merrin, but the ball went forward and a scrum will pack.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

Mason takes a hit up, and 4 dragons defenders are there to meet him. Bit of feeling in the tackle too.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

Mullen kicks across towards Chanel Number 5, but the Dragons clean it up. Chanel is then penalised for going on too long with the tackle.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

Tahu sends Sione back on the inside, but he's pulled down.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

Marshall puts on a bit of fanciness on the last, and forces the Knights into a line drop out.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

The Knights send the ball to the opposite end of the field. Their defence is really frustrating the Dragons in this game.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

The Dragons look to be about to score - Jack de Belin sprints towards the line, but Tahu hits him with a massive hit right in the ribs. Huge hit. De Belin wants to play on, but he has thrown up 4 times on the field and is unable to play the ball.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

The tackle count restarts for the Dragons, as the ball comes off Beau Scott on the last.

Newcastle Knights 34-4

Possible Knights try. The video ref isn't convinced, but we're checking anyway. The Knights kick deep, and Brett Morris misses the ball completely in the in goal. Gerard Beale comes in to tidy up, but misses the ball completely. Dane Gagai puts a hand on the ball and claims a try. I don't envy the video referee for adjudicating on this. Crazy play.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

Timana Tahu is having his best game in a long time, setting up his winger time after time, and putting him into space.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

Some good defense from the Knights in this set. On the last, Mata-utia kicks into the in goal, and 4 Knights players watch it over the dead ball line.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

We have a knock on against the Knights, and a scrum will pack ten metres from the try line. The Dragons will feed the scrum in brilliant attacking position.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

Jack de Belin has hurt his knee - it's been twisted in the tackle, and he gets up very slowly.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

Dugan's back on his feet, and the trainers are happy for him to stay on the field.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

From the kickoff, Korbin Sims sprints back and smashes into Josh Dugan, and Dugan comes off second best.

Newcastle Knights 30-4

Some amazing footwork from Gagai sees him make a break down field.

Newcastle Knights 24-4

We're back underway in the second half.

Newcastle Knights 24-4

And that's half time. It was an entertaining first half, with the Knights leading by 20 points at the break.

Newcastle Knights 24-4

We're checking the video referee again - this looks like some amazing work from Timana Tahu, tapping the ball on to Mata'utia, who dives over for a try.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

The Knights kick into the in goal - Gerard Beale fields it, but is forced to run it dead.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

The Dragons lose the ball, and not 1 minute later the Dragons are penalised for tackling a man without the ball. Only a couple of minutes remaining in the half, but the Knights will be heavy on attack.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

Mullen kicks across field, and Nightingale takes it in goal and runs it out to the 20. Marshall is there in support, but he's tackled.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

The on field decision stands, and it's no try.

In other news, Mullen looks to have copped a knock on the nose.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

The Knights work their way to the opposite end of the field, and Beau Scott looks to have possible fought his way to the try line. We're going to the video referee, just checking on the grounding. The on field referee thinks it's a no try.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

No try. The video referee overrules the on field referee, and denies the try.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

Video ref again - possible Dragons' try. The on field ref thinks it's a try, but Morris doesn't look confident. It seems like his knee has touched the ground outside the field of play.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

The Knights kick off, but the ball goes dead on the full. The Dragons take the tap from halfway, and make it to the 20 metre line after two tackles.

Newcastle Knights 18-4

Timana Tahu knocks on, and the Dragons will get the ball in attacking position.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

The Dragons set themselves up and look to be about to score in the corner, but the last pass goes astray and trickles over the sideline.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

The Knights send the ball out to the right, but Gidley's tap on goes to ground.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

Update from the Knight's doctor. Leilua has no major injury, just a bad concussion.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

Josh Dugan and Tyrone Roberts have an altercation now. It starts as pushing, before it degrades into punching. The refs call out both players, and both get 10 in the bin for throwing punches. The Knights will get the penalty.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

Willie Mason gets penalised for attempting to drag off the tackler. The refs don't like it, and the Dragons will start their new set within the 10.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

Bit of heat now - Kyle Stanley deciding to pick on Willie Mason.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

The Dragons get their first penalty of the game. Beau Scott is penalised for being within the 10. Widdop sends the ball down to the 30 metre line, and the Dragons will attack from within the Knight's red zone for one of the first times today.

Newcastle Knights 18-0

Another big run from Mason, being dragged down only 2 metres out.

Newcastle Knights 12-0

Sad way to finish his 100th NRL game for Leilua, strapped to a back board on a medicab.

We're back underway, and the Knights will start their set from 20m out from the Dragons' line.

Newcastle Knights 12-0

Leilua is being taken from the field on the medicab. No fault of Dugan - just an unlucky fall for Leilua.

Newcastle Knights 12-0

On the last, the Dragons kick for the sideline again. Off the Scrum, Leilua makes a massive break and makes it 40 metres down field, before being tackled by Dugan. Dugan rips the ball out, and Leilua hits his head hard on the ground. The Knights get a penalty for the strip, and Kurt Gidley is petitioning for a professional foul. The referees don't want a bar of it.

Newcastle Knights 12-0

Gerard Beale attempts to step his way through the line, but there's no gaps for him to sneak through.

Newcastle Knights 12-0

On the last, Mullen kicks deep, and it dribbles over the dead ball line. He's not happy with that kick.

Newcastle Knights 12-0

Willie Mason just smashes his way through four defenders, including palming Joel Thompson back to 2013. The Dragons then get penalised, so the Knights will start a set from 10 metres out, straight in front of the posts.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

On the last, Roberts grubbers for himself, and Beau Scott muscles Gerard Beale back into his own in goal. Amazing strength.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

First penalty of the game now, the Dragons getting pinged for taking too long to get off the tackled player.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

On the last. Marshall puts in a terrible kick, and Roberts cleans it up, before getting belted by one of his own men.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

The Dragons spread the ball left, but Morris is driven to ground by Gagai and Chanel.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Fa'alogo loses the ball - the Dragons get possession from within the Knights' half.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Marshall stabs the ball along the ground - Cutherbertson picks it up and makes a half break.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

We're going to the video referee for a possible Knights try. Leilua capatlises on Cutherbertson's great work, and dives over the line.

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The Knights' outside backs are doing some big metres at the moment. This set had runs by Gagai and both Mata'utia boys. On the next play Cutherbertson finds himself a massive gap, before putting on a brilliant pirouette to almost score a try. He's dragged down from behind in a desperate tackle.

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Brett Morris finds some space but is dragged down by Robbie Rochow.

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The Knights working down the short side now. On the last they've brought the ball back almost 60 metres, before Roberts kicks along the ground behind the Dragons' line.

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On the last, Widdop drives the ball into the corner, and Gidley watches it dribble into touch 5 metres from his own tryline.

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We're underway - the Knights kick off and Mike Cooper brings it back, before being met by 4 Knights defenders.

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The Knights will kick off to start the game.

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The Dragons are as named, 1 through 17. For the Knights it's just the traditional change that they've made this season, with Travis Waddell starting the match in jersey 14, and Adam Clydsdale providing some impact from the interchange bench.

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It's Old Boys' Day here at Hunter Stadium in Newcastle. The Knights have had quite a solid finish to what has been a forgettable season so far. The debut of the Mata'utia brothers have sparked a comeback of sorts, but it was too little too late. It's Wayne Bennett's last game leading Newcastle, and we're about 5 minutes from kick off.

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