CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 20 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 0
TOM SMITH, Accor Stadium, Sunday
KURT MANN celebrated his 200th NRL appearance by scoring the try that sealed Canterbury’s fifth straight win to open 2025.
The Knights lost winger James Schiller to a failed head-injury assessment and prop Jacob Saifiti to a calf injury inside the first 90 seconds, but managed to stave off the Bulldogs in a lopsided first half.
But the hosts broke through in the second half, aided by Phoenix Crossland’s sin bin for tripping.
A successful captain’s challenge earned Stephen Crichton an early penalty goal but the Dogs failed to convert a mountain of possession into any more points for the rest of the half, as the undermanned Knights desperately defended their line.
After a half of huffing and puffing, it took Canterbury less than two minutes of the second half to finally break through.
Josh Curran grounded a Toby Sexton bomb which Jacob Kiraz batted down legally according to the Bunker.
Referee Ashley Klein then binned Crossland for his trip on Sexton, inviting second-gamer Jack Todd to crash over for his maiden first-grade try.
And with nine minutes left, after having a try chalked off, Mann toasted his milestone with the match-sealing score.
Stephen Crichton received attention for a shoulder injury but played out the 80 minutes, while Jack Hetherington succumbed to the same problem in the second half.
BULLDOGS: 1 Connor Tracey, 5 Marcelo Montoya, 3 Bronson Xerri, 4 Stephen Crichton, 23 Jacob Kiraz, 6 Bailey Hayward, 7 Toby Sexton, 8 Max King, 9 Reed Mahoney, 10 Daniel Suluka-Fifita, 11 Josh Curran, 12 Jacob Preston, 13 Jaeman Salmon. Subs (all used): 14 Kurt Mann, 15 Harry Hayes, 16 Jack Todd, 20 Blake Taaffe.
Tries: Curran (42), Todd (46), Mann (71); Goals: Crichton 4/4
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 Thomas Cant, 12 Tyson Frizell, 13 Adam Elliott. Subs (all used): 14 Jayden Brailey, 15 Jack Hetherington, 16 Jermaine McEwen, 17 Mat Croker
Sin bin: Crossland (46) – tripping
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2-0; 8-0, 14-0, 20-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bulldogs: Reed Mahoney; Knights: Adam Elliott
Penalty count: 8-7; Half-time: 2-0; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 24,113
