NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 26 DOLPHINS 12
CALLUM WALKER, McDonald Jones Stadium, Thursday
WE are quickly running out of superlatives to describe Kalyn Ponga.
The Newcastle Knights fullback was everywhere, supplying final passes, scything his way through the Dolphins’ line and even showing off his defensive prowess with a number of important tackles, whilst Bradman Best and Fletcher Sharpe continue to impress.
In terms of changes, Adam Elliott returned for the Knights whilst Mark Nicholls, Oryn Keeley and Kodi Nikorima replaced Connelly Lemuelu, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Sean O’Sullivan respectively for the Dolphins.
Newcastle came into this one on the back of a 10-8 win over Wests Tigers in round one, whilst the Dolphins were still smarting from their 16-14 loss to South Sydney.
There were a number of stories leading into this fixture with twin brothers Daniel and Jacob Saifiti going up against each other for the first time, whilst the Dolphins had been forced to move training facilities after severe flooding in Queensland which meant preparations had been seriously disrupted.
And it’s fair to say that Kristian Woolf’s men weren’t at the races in the first half, despite the former St Helens boss claiming that the disruption had not affected the Dolphins.
In fact, the Knights were up 20-0 with the half-hour in sight, James Schiller grabbing a double inside the opening 14 minutes in almost identical fashion in the right corner before Best made it 14-0 off yet another Ponga pass.
The Dolphins just couldn’t live with the pace and power of the Knights and it was Dane Gagai’s turn to cross the whitewash on 28 minutes, while it was that man Ponga that delivered the final ball as the fullback also converted for a 20-0 lead.
Finally, the visitors registered their first points of the game just after the half-hour with fan favourite Mark Nicholls crashing over next to the posts. Jamayne Isaako reduced the deficit to 14 at half-time.
But that merely stemmed the tide until after the break, with a superb run from the returning Elliott laying the platform for Fletcher Sharpe to send Dylan Lucas barrelling to the line. Ponga was once more on target to make it 26-6 and send the Knights out of sight.
Credit to the Dolphins, though, as they did not give in. After Kai Pearce-Paul was sin-binned for an ugly high tackle on Daniel Saifiti, they finally responded through a solo Isaiya Katoa effort, though the Newcastle defence appeared paper thin to allow the Tonga international to weave his magic.
Isaako converted from in front and the Dolphins should have had another four-pointer before the end with Isaako heading for the corner, only for the winger to be stopped by the desperate Best and Ponga.
As it was, the Knights ran out strong winners with Ponga rightly revelling in the plaudits.
GAMESTAR: Kalyn Ponga was at his very best.
GAMEBREAKER: It was over within half an hour with Newcastle just too good for the Dolphins from the off.
MATCHFACTS
KNIGHTS
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 James Schiller
3 Dane Gagai
4 Bradman Best
5 Greg Marzhew
6 Fletcher Sharpe
7 Jack Cogger
8 Jacob Saifiti
9 Phoenix Crossland
10 Leo Thompson
11 Dylan Lucas
12 Kai Pearce-Paul
13 Tyson Frizell
Subs (all used)
14 Jayden Brailey
15 Jack Hetherington
16 Adam Elliott
17 Mat Croker
Tries: Schiller (10, 14), Best (20), Gagai (28), Lucas (45)
Goals: Ponga 3/5
Sin bin: Pearce-Paul (69) – high tackle
DOLPHINS
1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Jake Averillo
4 Herbie Farnworth
5 Junior Tupou
6 Kodi Nikorima
7 Isaiya Katoa
8 Daniel Saifiti
9 Jeremy Marshall-King
10 Felise Kaufusi
11 Oryn Keeley
12 Max Plath
13 Tom Gilbert
Subs (all used)
14 Kurt Donoghoe
15 Josh Kerr
16 Mark Nicholls
17 Ray Stone
Tries: Nicholls (33), Katoa (67)
Goals: Isaako 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 14-0, 20-0, 20-6; 26-6, 26-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Kalyn Ponga; Dolphins: Isaiya Katoa
Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 20-6
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Attendance: 18,531