FULLTIME :: Newcastle have their third win of the season!
Newcastle Knights 21-14
SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Field goal attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Hodkinson nails the one-pointer.
Newcastle Knights 21-14
Widdop tries the chip but no good! Knights two minutes away from saluting.
Newcastle Knights 20-14
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Joe Wardle makes an unforced error.
Levi busted right down the middle and it was set up for the one-pointer! They shifted left and Wardle spills it.
Newcastle Knights 20-14
Knights get a respite there.. Dugan busted them twice but execution left them down.
Newcastle Knights 20-14
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Hodkinson makes it a six point lead.
Newcastle Knights 20-14
TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Scored by Jacob Saifiti. Kick to come.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! It fell backwards and it is a try.
Newcastle Knights 18-14
BUNKER TIME! Saifiti might have stolen one here.
14 all
Lafai throws a wobbly one and it trickles over the sideline.
14 all
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Matthew Dufty makes an unforced error.
McDonald is in space again! He tries to link with Dufty but the young fullback can't snaffle the ball.
14 all
SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Penalty goal attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Widdop shoots for two. Nails it.
14 all
PENALTY DRAGONS! Dugan with a weaving run and we have a penalty back in the field of play for being taken late.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Sione Mata'utia makes an unforced error.
Mata'utia of the Sione variety loses it peeking at the defence.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
Double knock on from an average Widdop kick. Knights scrum.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
Buhrer with a superman-dive to keep the ball there. Knights ruck it out.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
PENALTY KNIGHTS! Thompson in the ruck and interferes.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Cameron McInnes makes an unforced error.
McInnes goes for a dart and drops his lollies.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
PENALTY KNIGHTS! JDB couldn't move out of the ruck. Knights have a big chance here.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
McCrone tries to dump it off.. but Dugan can't handle.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Trent Hodkinson makes an unforced error.
Hodkinson tries the juggling act but I don't think he's ready for prime-time.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
Here we go again!
Newcastle Knights 14-12
We're back for the second half here! Dragons down by two, and receive.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
HALFTIME :: Knights started off hot and take their ninth half-time lead of the season.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Widdop slots it.
Newcastle Knights 14-12
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Tariq Sims. Kick to come.
They strike before the break. Dugan crabbed right across, looking for somebody, anybody. He eventually gave it to Tariq Sims who stormed over.
Newcastle Knights 14-10
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Peter Mata'utia makes an unforced error.
Mata'utia of the Peter variety spills it. Last chance before the half for the Saints.
Newcastle Knights 14-6
SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Penalty goal attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Hodkinson slams it through. Eight point lead.
Newcastle Knights 14-6
PENALTY KNIGHTS! McCrone offside and played at it. They will shoot for two.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Hodkinson gets interfered with and it chalks off McDonald's 90 metre run.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
BUNKER TIME! McDonald runs away with it! Checking obstruction.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
McCrone tries to throw it to Frizell but it floated forward.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Dane Gagai makes an unforced error.
Gagai spied a gap then spilled it. PENALTY DRAGONS as well.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Not enough evidence to overturn the no-try ruling.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
BUNKER TIME! Checking if Nightingale knocked it on. We have no try.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Danny Levi makes an unforced error.
Levi goes the selfish play on last but throws it right into the Saints.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Tariq Sims makes an unforced error.
Dragons try the inside ball but Sims, fresh on the field, can't take it.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Jacob Saifiti makes an unforced error.
Jacob Saifiti gets cut down by JDB and loses it.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
Once again the Saints offload deep in their area, McDonald's effort to Nightingale was spilled.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Widdop right next to the post, slams it through.
Newcastle Knights 12-6
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Paul Vaughan. Kick to come.
Dragons have lived and died by the offload tonight! Dufty, Widdop and Dugan all combined down the right. Quick play the ball and Vaughan crashes over.
Newcastle Knights 12-4
Scratch that, it was batted dead.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
McCrone tries a weird kick and it bounces dead again. Seven tackle set Knights.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
Hodkinson tries to stab one through but it rolled too deep.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Josh McCrone makes an unforced error.
McDonald tries to push a pass, it went low and McCrone spilled it.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
That was better from the Saints. They swept it left and Nightingale goes airborne but Ross shunts him over the sideline.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
PENALTY DRAGONS! Gagai falconed the ball and it was touched by Danny Levi.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Hodkinson to make it a dozen the difference, nails it.
Newcastle Knights 12-0
TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Scored by Shaun Kenny-dowall. Kick to come.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Nothing wrong with that! SKD was poetry in motion there! He tipped it up for himself and left Nightingale clutching at air.
Newcastle Knights 10-0
BUNKER TIME! SKD could have his first in the Hunter!
Newcastle Knights 6-0
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Gareth Widdop makes an unforced error.
That was signs of last week. The JDB offload sent the livewire fullback away but he couldn't link with Widdop.
Newcastle Knights 6-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Besides the posts, Hodkinson nails it.
Newcastle Knights 6-0
TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Scored by Brock Lamb. Kick to come.
Lamb does it all himself! Kicked through for himself, fought off the defender and regathered.
Newcastle Knights 4-0
PENALTY KNIGHTS! High tackle.
0 all
Josh McCrone puts too much on a kick. Seven tackle set for the Knights.
0 all
UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Joe Wardle makes an unforced error.
Knights looking energetic to start here but Wardle has the ball spill out.
0 all
That was a rapid first set. The two remaining Mata'utia brothers combined down the left to put Nathan Ross away. The kick came to naught as the Dragons are trapped deep in their end.
0 all
Ball on the tee. Dragons to get us underway, as Vossy says let's have some fun!
Close to kick-off here in Newcastle. The visitors are 1-17, while the only change for Newcastle comes on the bench, as Mickey Paea is replaced by Jacob Saifiti on the bench. Dragons are first onto the turf, in their classic red and white vee design with a good travelling contingent clustered together on the hill. Josh Dugan leads them out in his 150th game. Next out is the home side Knights, in their red and blue as it is another healthy crowd in the Hunter. Well done all.
Welcome to a sun-drenched Hunter for the first of the triple header today! St George Illawarra, fresh from beating Manly look to have turned their season around, now they travel to face the last-placed Newcastle side, having won 11 of the last 12 at this venue. So on paper, it is set up for a red and white's victory but Newcastle have been fighters this season, and pushed some very good teams - also both their wins came in the Hunter this season - so we're set up for a cracking start to the afternoon!
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Gavin Badger, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Touch Judges: Rickey McFarlane, Clayton Sharpe
Video Referee: Ashley Klein, Luke Patten
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (21)
Tries: Brock Lamb, Shaun Kenny-dowall, Jacob Saifiti
Field Goals: Trent Hodkinson (1/1)
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (3/3)
Penalty Goals: Trent Hodkinson (1/1)
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (14)
Tries: Paul Vaughan, Tariq Sims
Field Goals:
Conversions: Gareth Widdop (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Gareth Widdop (1/1)