Match Centre

And that's the game. The Tigers get a penalty with 20 seconds remaining, but the Knights shut down the last attacking raid of the game. The Newcastle Knights have snapped a 5 match losing streak, defeating the Wests Tigers 22-12.

Newcastle Knights 22-12

The Knights will get the penalty, and Roberts puts the ball into touch.

Newcastle Knights 22-12

The Tigers attempt a short kickoff. Mata'utia flies high and takes the kick brilliant, but he's belted around the head by Matthew Lodge. Players rush in from everywhere, and it's an absolute mess.

Newcastle Knights 22-12

Gidley hits Tariq Sims short, but he's held up 1 metre out. Moses is then penalised for a lifting tackle, and the Knights get a fresh set a few metres out.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

The Tigers now get penalised for pushing the dummy half out of the way. Luck is apparently going the way of the Knights this afternoon.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

But somehow, the Knights have won the scrum against the feed - massive sigh of relief from the crowd then.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

The Tigers run a block play, and Tedesco almost gets his head through the line. On the last they bomb high, and Dane Gagai makes a mess of things, knocking the ball on badly.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

The Knights use Sione Mata'utia who makes a half line break, but again the Knights make a mistake on the next play, killing a 2 man overlap.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

On the last, Roberts grubbers into the in goal, and Tedesco is forced out over the sideline in goal. The Knights force a repeat set for probably one of the first times this season.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Roberts runs off a nice offload, and surges for the line, but twists his knee and ankle badly in the tackle He's in a lot of pain, but he's going to attempt to play on.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

The Knights send the ball to the right. Gagai throws a cutout ball, and Pat Richards attempts an intercept. If he caught it, it was probably a try for the Tigers. If he hadn't got a hand to it, Uate probably scores in the corner.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Brooks' turn to kick high now. It comes down messily for Dane Gagai, who then milks a penalty out of Kevin Naiqama while trying to get a quick play the ball.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

On the new set, Farah kills momentum for his team by belting a grubber out over the dead ball line.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Luke Brooks makes a half break down the left side of the field, but is taken to ground by Leilua. Moses then kicks into the backfield, but Gagai shovels it out over the sideline.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Roberts really loving his high kicks today. Almost every kick has been a bomb.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

The Tigers send the ball from the left wing to the right, but James McManus crunches in and panics the Tigers' winger. The Knights get the ball. Good defence.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Leilua looks to be header for the sideline, but somehow manages to stay in field. Last tackle, Roberts again kicks high for Uate's wing. Pat Richards knocks the ball back to his own player, and the Tigers will get the ball. Uate flies high, but lands heavily on his back after falling from 5 feet in the air.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Beau Scott looks for an offload, but Keith Galloway knocks the ball to the ground. New set for the Knights, from a scrum feed on the 10m line.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Mistake from the Tigers, 20 metres out from their own line. The Knights have a great attacking opportunity here, provided they can hold the ball.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

*fizzle*
Tariq Sims knocks it on on the first tackle.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Yet another bomb from Roberts, and this time Tedesco coughs it up. New set for the Knights!

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Sione Mata'utia and Chris Lawrence are both back on the field after passing their concussion tests.

Newcastle Knights 16-12

Another video referee decision to be made here. Ashley Klein thinks it's a try, but we'll just double check. Roberts kicked high and across field, and McManus pulls the ball backwards to BJ Leilua, who fought off three defenders to slam the ball down. We're just checking if McManus knocked it on.

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The Tigers bomb on the last, and Uate makes a good fist of some broken field play. 2nd tackle, and the Knights have made it back to well within the Tigers' half.

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We're going to the video referee for a possible Tigers try. The Tigers have used Luke Brooks as a decoy, before some James Tedesco soccer skills sees Brooks possibly score the try.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Tigers only ten metres out now, but they waste a tackle after a horrible pass from Farah.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Tigers throw a couple of loose offloads, losing 10 metres in the process, before Mitchell Moses used some elusive footwork to get himself through the broken Knights defensive line. He chipped over the top of the fullback, but Uate cleaned it up, and the Knights will drop it out.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Mata'utia comes to the sideline after that headclash. Randell moves to five-eight, with Kurt Gidley moving to fullback and Gagai filling the vacant centre position.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

And now Mata;'utia is slow to get to his feet after a head clash with Robbie Farah.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Tigers send it wide to Chris Lawrence, but he loses the ball in a heavy tackle. He's taken low by Mata'utia, before falling into a Kurt Gidley swinging arm. He's heading to the sideline, and looks heavily concussed.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Strong run from Matthew Lodge, powering his way over the top of the Knights' defenders. On the last, the Tigers again kick high. Dane Gagai takes it nicely, but then loses the ball in the tackle of David Nofoaluma. Good opportunity for the Tigers.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

We're back in the second half, with the Knights kicking off to the Tigers.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

And that's half time, with the Knights going to the break leading 12-6. There were good and bad points from both sides in the first half. Knights fans will be pleased with their side's improved attack, especially thanks to Gagai at the back, but will be worried about their team's flimsy defence. The Tigers looked good in patches, but struggled with some mistakes and dropped ball at costly times. The second half should be a good one.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Tigers kick high, and the chase is a good one, but Gagai stands his ground and takes the kick nicely.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Gidley runs it forward, but is flogged in the tackle - picked up and dumped on his back. Waste of a set.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Knights looking to post some more points before the half time break, on attack from 20m out. Gagai brings it forward, but is injured in the tackle from an accidental Woods knee.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Beau Scott receiving some attention at the moment - possibly a shoulder or neck injury, as he got twisted while making a tackle.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Gidley rolls the ball over the sideline, with just a few minutes left in the half.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Moses throws an inside ball, but Kurt Gidley absolutely nails him. He takes a while to get up, but he looks ok.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Knights are then penalised for holding down in the tackle, and it's the Tigers turn to mount an attack from a solid position.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Knights swing the ball left, and Roberts finds Tariq Sims with a neat shortball. Sims reaches out, but loses the ball 1 inch above the tryline. 20m restart.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Dane Gagai returns the Tigers kick, and runs clean over the top of one sorry Tigers defender. Dene Halatau is then penalised for carrying on with the tackle, and the Knights will attack from only 20m out.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Luke Brooks kicks back in towards the posts, but Roberts read it beautifully, and took the ball on the full.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

The Knights working the ball out of their own end, under a bit of pressure. Roberts is under heavy attention on the last, and his kick skips about 20 metres, before being met by the Tigers kick return.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Kurt Gidley gets a short ball away to Scott, but he's just pulled down. Two plays later, Leilua plays the ball but there is no dummy half present. Seumanufagai dives on the loose ball, but is ruled to have knocked on. The referees then reverse their decision, and give the scrum feed to the Tigers.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

It is no try, but the Tigers will drop the ball out, and the Knights will get more possession.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Jeremy Smith makes a break but is dragged down... just. On the last, Roberts kicks high again, and we've got another decision for the video referee! The on field referee again thinks it's no try, but we're more importantly checking who grounded the ball first.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

Good news for the Knights in the first set after the try, with the Tigers penalised for stripping the ball from Tariq Sims in the tackle. The Knights heavily on attack now.

Newcastle Knights 12-6

A lot of one out from the Knights in this set, before Roberts again kicks high. Richards takes the ball, but as it comes down, he loses the ball, and David Fa'alogo dives on the loose ball and claims a try. We're going to the video referee to check a few different things, but the onfield referee doesn't think it's a try.

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And now Kade Snowden is penalised for a high tackle on Mitchell Moses. Bit of a piggy back for the Tigers.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

At the Tigers end of the field, on the last, Tyrone Roberts puts up a nothing bomb, and the Tigers have no problem with taking it.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Penalty to Newcastle now, as the Tigers are ruled to have their hands all over the ball.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Another strong run from Martin Taupau - the Tigers then spread it wide out to the right, but Nofoaluma's flick pass goes out over the sideline.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Penalty to the Tigers, as Tyrone Roberts is ruled to have flopped in after the held call.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Nice offload from Beau Scott, and Randell picks up an extra few metres. On the last, the Knights kick to Richards' side of the field, but the Tigers have no trouble with it.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

The Knights not finding space with their kicks so far. They've put three bombs up, and each time have picked the opposition man.

Newcastle Knights 6-0

Looks like we may have our first try of the game! We're just going to the video referee to check the obstruction, but to my eyes it's a try.

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The Knights send the ball out wide to the left, but Naiqama slaps the ball down to shut down the attacking raid.

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Sione Mata'utia, at right centre, is 3/3 for runs and line breaks so far in this game.

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Big mistake from the Tigers now, as Mitchell Moses kicks the ball out on the full from the halfway line. Good pressure from Tariq Sims on the kicker.

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A lot of the game being played at the Knights end of the field at the moment.

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Big run from Martin Taupau, straight over the top of Tyler Randell.

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Not 30 seconds into the game and we have our first error, with Dene Halatau knocking on after attempting to catch a Kade Snowden loose ball.

On the next play, Sione Mata'utia makes a massive break down field, but the Knights throw a forward pass before completing the set.

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And we have kick off. A bearded Badger blows the whistle, and the Knights will get first use of the football.

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The Tigers take the field, followed by the Knights to a traditional Newcastle welcome.

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It's a fine 19 degrees at Hunter Stadium, and conditions look good for attacking footy.

Glorious afternoon at Hunter Stadium for #NRLKnightsTigers #NRL

A photo posted by Aaron Thomas (@azsportza) on May 16, 2015 at 10:53pm PDT

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Welcome to Newcastle this afternoon for this match between the Newcastle Knights and the Wests Tigers. Kick off isn't far away, with both sides desperate for a win. The Knights come into this game on the back of five straight losses, while the Tigers have the same win/loss record, but have been slightly more successful in the past five rounds.

In teams news, Joey Tapine drops off the extended bench for the Knights, and Chad Redman will debut in place of the injured Adam Clydsdale in jersey #19. For the Tigers, David Nofoaluma will replace Delouise Hoeter in the centres in jersey #23, and Kyle Lovett drops to the interchange bench, in favour of Dene Halatau in the second row.

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