FT: Tigers 20 d Knights 4
No goal
Sharpe goes over in a scrappy effort. There was several moving parts to the try, a clever kick, a poor defusal from Turuva and Sharpe was jolly on the spot to score.
This is alarming for the Knights.
Can the Knights break their duck.
Luai put up a bomb late in the game, Marzhew struggled under the high ball once more and the Tigers capitalised. A great pass from Alex Seyfarth found a flying Tallyn Da Silva to put an exclamation mark on it... OR DID HE. HOLD THE PHONE WE ARE OFF TO THE BUNKER.
Marzhew knocks it on and the Tigers pick up the game sealer.
Crossland has been targeted heavily by Samuela Fainu today!
CHALLENGE UNSUCCESSFUL
CHALLENGE TIME: On field ruling of a Royce Hunt knock on.
Hard to pick a 3-2-1 in this one today, May having his nose in front for a three vote at the moment.
Crossland is THUMPED! Samuela Fainu levelled him.
Last time the Tigers held a team to nil was Round 10, 2020 when they beat the Broncos 48-0.
Kick too deep from Luai.
Can the Knights crack them... no... no they cannot. Phoenix Crossland drops it.
Matt Arthur gets boot to ball, the Tigers scramble and force a goal-line dropout.
SIX AGAIN NEWY: Second effort by Twal.
PENALTY KNIGHTS: High tackle.
Newcastle likely to get just Jack Cogger back next week. The rest are multiple weeks, it is just one big casualty ward at the moment.
Tigers get another set here, you just wonder when the dam wall is going to break. It has vibes of last week about it.
We're back 13 v 13
PENALTY: Dangerous leg lift.
This is a tough watch for a Knights fan at the moment, the attack is lacking direction from time to time. I know they are missing players, but they are just shaky.
Bomb put down by Turuva and the Knights recover.
Off the upright and waved away!
Jermaine McEwen puts it down coming out of his own end and the Tigers immediately capitalise on it with Luai goes down the left and finds Doueihi to score for the Tigers.
Tigers let that chance slip and Newcastle get it back.
PENALTY TIGERS: Back through the ruck and Galvin takes the quick tap.
Marzhew gets away down the sideline, finds Best to get to within ten metres of the line. The Knights went right on the last and Ponga is tackled inches from the tryline.
Tigers complete the set post points.
Matthew Arthur is on in jersey 14
Chip shot from in front and nails it.
To'a joins him in the sin-bin and the Tigers get the penalty for Gagai being the instigator.
Gagai has been given ten.
They come in throwing handbags in the melee.
NO TRY
Sione Fainu reaches out and he is claiming it but Gerard Sutton has NO TRY.
Big contact Croker on May.
Tigers have had 30 tackles inside opposition 20.
Fletcher Sharpe doing the on-field HIA check.
It just has not been the Knights afternoon here in Newy.
Galvin taking the line on... that is a great bit of scramble.
PENALTY TIGERS: Ball steal.
Jack Bird fighting well above his weight class against (checks notes) Leo Thompson.
oh no... Jeral Skelton has done his hammy again! He has come straight off, he would've been in that position where the pass went into row Z.
To'a with the catch and pass - touches Marzhew and the Tigers get 6 more - Galvin recovers, they go to offload and it comes off the big mit of Kai Pearce-Paul, goes backwards and the Knights recover and survive in defence.
Oh no... Marzhew has come up with an error coming out of yardage.
Both sides through the opening second half sets. Tigers just doing a little more with field position at the moment.
Back underway for the second 40 minutes.
HT: Tigers 14 lead Knights 0
They just seem so far behind the pace...
SIX MORE NEWY: Ruck infringement.
Knights get it back. Can they get one before the break?
Tigers save the day, Seyfarth booted that beyond the grandstand... he learned from Jack Bostock's mistake.
PENALTY KNIGHTS: Shot clock violation.
Crossland attacking the game, he kicks ahead and Skelton made a meal of it. There were bodies everywhere but Phoenix couldn't quite get there.
Better from the Knights, Ponga, McCarthy, Marzhew combine to get inside the Tigers half.
Tigers complete a set post points and the Knights just need something to go their way.
Doueihi gets it in off the posts.
JAHREAM THE DREAM DOES IT HIMSELF! In the shadows of half-time, Bula caught Ponga out of the line in defence, kicked ahead, regathered and scored a sensational try.
Brailey loses possession and the Tigers go back on the attack. Their completing at around 73% at the moment.
Newcastle survive but then they want to throw it around like they are the prime Globetrotters... AOB would be absolutely filthy.
CHALLENGE SUCCESSFUL TIGERS: They will get the ball back here.
Tigers spill this one but it looks like we will head to a captain's challenge.
Big Royce Hunt off the back fence!
No goal.
That try was coming for a while and the Tigers get a second down the right edge after 27 minutes. The Knights made continuous yardage errors and their right edge again was found wanting in defence. Starford To'a got given the early ball and made Bradman Best look foolish to break away and score the second try of the contest.
Newcastle have caught the virus from some of the junior rep sides today. So many yardage mistakes.
That kick was nearly perfectly weighted but it just beats Jeral Skelton.
Luai going to Bula... great defence there.
Oh no... Newy go without the footy on play 1
Back to Api he shapes to kick and runs it on the last. That is great goal line defence from the Knights - they don't have a bad place to turn it over...
SIX AGAIN TIGERS: Inside 10m. Newcastle just seem a step behind the pace here.
Crossland gave that everything and it goes dead.
Good set after points from the Tigers. Fortunately, KP and Sharpe are okay after their collision.
Back underway from Newcastle
The conversion is waved away.
After a quiet opening quarter of the contest, the Tigers decided to run the ball on the last and they caught the Knights napping on the last play. Some quick hands out to the right edge caught Greg Marzhew out of position and it was Sunia Turuva who got down low to score for the visitors.
Just have a feeling whatever side settles first will get on top in this one - penalties currently 2-1 to the Tigers.
KPP thinking of the play ahead a little there.
Big mistake there for Luai late in the count - Knights go back on the attack.
Mathew Croker comes on for the hosts in 17
Good take under pressure from Bula
PENALTY TIGERS: Flop in and stay there is the ruling loud and clear.
Newcastle going after Skelton under the high ball.
Knights attack a little lateral at the moment. Good kick in behind from Crossland but that is well defused by Starford To'a.
PENALTY KNIGHTS: Hand on ball in the play the ball - Knights tapping and going
Skelton ruled to have knocked that one on - good contest there from Kyle McCarthy
We are off and running from Newcastle and it is the Tigers who have first use of the football.
Referee tonight in his OFFICIAL 400th game is Gerard Sutton, by technicality it is his 401st game after a temporary relief stint for Ash Klein in a 2020 game. Dan Luttringer and Chris Sutton have the flags while Grant Atkins has the controls of the bunker. Andrew Voss, Cooper Cronk and Darcie McDonald have the commentary duties this arvo on FOX/Kayo. Kickoff coming up at the top of the hour.
We're live for Round 6 of the NRL season with the Newcastle Knights hosting the Wests Tigers in the final game of the weekend. The Knights have made one additional change to their advertised team with debutant Tyrone Thompson starting with big brother Leo. Brodie Jones reverts to the interchange bench, meanwhile the Tigers are as per your Front Row program. AJ Lucantonio with you for the final game of the weekend.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch Judges: Chris Sutton, Daniel Luttringer
Video Referee: Grant Atkins
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (4)
Tries: Fletcher Sharpe
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (0/1)
WESTS TIGERS (20)
Tries: Sunia Turuva, Adam Doueihi, Starford To'a, Jahream Bula
Conversions: Adam Doueihi (1/4)
Penalty Goals: Adam Doueihi (1/1)