Ponga has done it! A KP bomb was batted back by Fletcher Hunt into the arms of Ponga who beat the defence to score the game winning try.
Underway in GP
FT: Knights 22 Manly 22 off to Golden Point.
No goal
Sharpe passed to Schiller to create the space... he was jagged back from supporting and AOB is FUMING (with expletives)
Dane Gagai has caused some chaos too - nice run to create carnage!
KP causing some chaos - beat 4 before being tackled.
22-all!
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.
Gagai needed to produce something big and gets a kick return up to the 40 metre line.
Manly might look for a field goal if they get into position
Knights need to find another gear just as they did to start the second half.
Cogger kicks for placement and finds the sideline.
Manly complete their set post points.
Garrick converts.
Just as the Knights took momentum. A sequence of plays turned the game, a strong run from Clayton 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.
Clayton Faulalo breaks away, found DCE, but with Sharpe chasing he was not scoring that.
Manly now need to find a second gear.
Garrick is struggling but playing on.
Brooks goes short to Garrick and that is a desperate tackle by Jack Cogger to save the day.
PENALTY MANLY: Tackled in the air.
Great work from Jayden Brailey out of dummy half.
No goal.
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 to find Schiller who redeemed his earlier sins to score in the corner.
Marzhew broke away and the Knights have them shot to bits.
Manly hand it over 10 out from the line after Brooks broke through them. Tommy Talau has PASSED his HIA and will return in good news for Manly.
Faulalo looked to have touched the ball but was ruled play on and it was a Newcastle error
Thought Manly got a bit fortunate then
Much better from Kai Pearce-Paul when he is isolating the defenders one-on-one... who knew this?
CHALLENGE UNSUCCESSFUL
CHALLENGE KNIGHTS
Schiller breaks away down the sideline, but the pass is a horror and their is a touch...
DCE kicks that out on the full... Roosters and Dolphins fans would be alarmed seeing that.
Newcastle complete their set post points.
Gagai converts.
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.
Horrible kick from Brooks and Hunt catches that easily.
Koula is picked up and dumped by Hunt.
RUCK INFRINGEMENT MANLY: Slow peel
Great carry from Marzhew off the kick return... right on cue James Schiller continues his night of horrors.
Good charge from Jayden Brailey - Knights just playing a tempo or two higher in this second half.
Tommy Talau has been declared a cat 2 and will undergo the 15 min assessment.
Toafofoa Sipley has shown something tonight.
Tommy Talau off via independent doctor.
Gagai nails it
YES THE KNIGHTS DID SOMETHING WITH THE BALL. 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.
DCE from inside the 40... just short of the mark.
Garrick outleaps Marzhew but he cannot get the pass away... Manly with another near opportunity.
Hunt moves from right wing, to left centre
Eloise Sohier reports - AOB says stop giving them field position and stop errors, James Schiller hooked to the wing, Fletcher Hunt at centre. Seibold says his side's defence needs to improve.
Good take from Ponga.
Second half action from Newcastle.
Newcastle have been BOOED OFF McDonald Jones Stadium.
Phoenix Crossland loses it just as the Knights were going up field...
DCE went for the Hail Mary but Clayton Faulalo couldn't get that down!
Manly coming to get them!
Feel sorry for Fletcher Sharpe, he just cannot find a way into this game and has struggled immensely. Adam O'Brien is going to be walking out with a 7 figure check if this keeps up...
It hits the upright and it is no good.
You cannot stop this man! Newcastle began their implosion with a poor sequence of play. James Schiller continued his horror game with an error, penalty and being placed on report before two other Knights (Jack Cogger and Elijah Leaumoana) were also placed on report. 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.
What a run Tolutau Koula!
Dylan Lucas was taped up - his eye was cut so we had an extended stoppage to treat it.
Jack Cogger and Elijah Leaumoana are placed on report for a dangerous throw.
PENALTY MANLY: Dangerous tackle.
Make that even worse - he is on report so that is the RL Yahtzee completed.
James Schiller is not having a great game. An error compounded by a high tackle.
I mention that because this Knights side lacks direction... as that happens Tolutau Koula loses it.
Watched Jackson Hastings in NSW Cup - he had a hand in both tries while he was on the field (was subbed at 51st minute) and directed play nicely for the Knights in a game where they had little momentum.
James Schiller spills it - great tackle by Clayton Faulalo.
Luke Brooks spills it with Manly on the momentum!
Successful
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.
Brooks turns Waddell under for a linebreak - Manly on the boil looking for a second
SIX MORE MANLY: Slow peel
Elijah Leaumoana is on for his NRL debut! Good numbers in the NSW Cup of the last few weeks and deserves his opportunity.
Strong kick return from Ponga - beat several defenders and gives the Knights a platform to build on.
CHALLENGE SUCCESSFUL MANLY! Jake Trbojevic to play the ball
Newcastle wearing black armbands tonight to honor the passing of Dane Gagai's grandmother who sadly passed away this week - we are sending our condolences to the Knights and Gagai family.
CHALLENGE MANLY: On field ruling of a Brooks knock on.
SIX AGAIN KNIGHTS: Ruck infringement.
Ponga grubber kicks into the line but it is spilt by Tolutau Koula.
Newcastle playing some better second phase play, that offload from Schiller was forward but no Knight wanted to kill possession. Manly come up with it, but they blow it as they try to go after Schiller at centre, Clayton Faulalo tripped over the missed tackler (Schiller) and Newcastle come up with it.
PENALTY KNIGHTS: Second effort against Jake Trbojevic.
Might just remind our readers that Jackson Hastings and Michael Chee Kam are the 18th man. One failed HIA or player injured via dismissable foul play away from those guys potentially being ready.
Sharpe finds some space before finding Kai Pearce-Paul who flicked it out the back as the Knights show some fancy footy in this one.
With the way Tolutau Koula has started this game, you can make the argument between Turbo, Garrick, Lehi Hopoate and Koula that they would all starters in other teams.
Jazz Tevaga looked to have been chicken winged by Phoenix Crossland... that was ugly... but Bunker official Ashley Klein clears it and we are playing on.
Opening try in six games against the Knights.
Garrick converts.
Despite both sides losing key players to Category 1 incidents (Tyson Frizell and Lehi 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.
Tolutau Koula going for the corner - he goes for the offload and loses the pill
PENALTY MANLY: Inside 10 (Markers not square)
SIX AGAIN MANLY: Ruck infringement
SET RESTART MANLY: Ruck infringement
Lehi Hopoate and Tyson Frizell are GONE! Cat 1 HIA
PENALTY MANLY: Offside
Cogger goes for the crossfield kick - Tommy Talau in the contest with Kai Pearce-Paul and they rule Talau takes it dead.
Knights in good ball - has their attack improved?
SIX MORE KNIGHTS: Ruck infringement
Good shot by Jake Trbojevic - welcome back Jurbo!
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.
PENALTY KNIGHTS: High tackle.
Hopoate will come from the field via the independent doctor - Tyson Frizell came off for a HIA too.
Several defenders there to meet Lehi Hopoate as they drive him back off the kick return.
Great bomb take from Ponga - went after that one and won the jump to the football.
Manly go for an early shift down the right edge and it's (checks the FOX coverage) Haumole Olakau'atu flying down the wing.
Kalyn Ponga is CRUNCHED by Haumole Olakau'atu.
Underway from Newcastle
Wyatt Raymond is in charge for NRL game number 23. Matt Noyen and Nick Pelgrave are the touch judges. Ashley Klein is in the Bunker. Kickoff is coming up in half-an-hour. AJ Lucantonio to bring you all the action tonight.
Round 14 of the NRL season sees us take a trip to McDonald Jones Stadium and it is the Newcastle Knights take on the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. Newcastle desperately need to figure out their on-button for their attack. Meanwhile, Manly have struggled with consistency and will have to do it again without Tom Trbojevic... they do get big brother Jake back this week from his concussion protocols. Jazz Tevaga starts with Toafofoa Sipley back to the bench. Newcastle get Greg Marzhew back with James Schiller at centre. Elsewhere, they are unchanged.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Touch Judges: Matt Noyen, Nick Pelgrave
Video Referee: Ashley Klein
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (26)
Tries: Fletcher Sharpe (2), Fletcher Hunt, James Schiller, Kalyn Ponga
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Dane Gagai (3/4)
Penalty Goals:
MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (22)
Tries: Tolutau Koula, Toafofoa Sipley, Haumole Olakau'atu, Tommy Talau
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (3/4)
Penalty Goals: