Knights look Sharpe as Tigers tumble again

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Newcastle Knights v Wests Tigers

The Newcastle Knights kept their finals hopes alive with a 34-18 victory over the Wests Tigers in the final match of Round 23 at McDonald Jones Stadium.

In front of a home crowd of 22,138, the Knights secured an important win, moving them just two points outside the top eight, while the Tigers' struggles continued.

The match was highlighted by an exceptional performance from winger Fletcher Sharpe, who scored four tries, including a hat-trick in the first half. The opening exchanges saw both teams trading blows, with the Tigers responding to an early try from Tyson Frizell through Adam Doueihi. The back-and-forth battle left the Knights leading 22-12 at halftime, thanks to Sharpe's heroics.

Krystian Mapapalangi, who was called into the starting lineup due to Dylan Lucas's injury, extended the Knights' lead early in the second half with his first NRL try. The Tigers fought back with a try from Jahream Bula, narrowing the gap to 28-18, but Sharpe's fourth try, set up by a brilliant break from Dane Gagai, put the game out of reach. Kalyn Ponga's fifth successful conversion sealed the win for Newcastle.

Phoenix Crossland, playing at halfback for just the second time this season, was instrumental in the Knights' success, contributing to the attack and racking up 110 running metres. The Knights' forward pack also dominated, with four players surpassing 100 running metres, providing the platform for their backline to capitalise.

The Wests Tigers, despite showing glimpses of their potential, were unable to maintain the intensity needed to challenge the Knights in the second half. Their cause was further hampered by the loss of halfback Aidan Sezer to a knee injury midway through the game, which stifled their attacking options.

Next week, the Knights will look to continue their push for a finals spot when they travel to PointsBet Stadium to face the Sharks. Meanwhile, the Tigers will host the Rabbitohs at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, seeking to restore some pride in what has been a challenging season.