Newcastle Knights spoil Jarome Luai’s Wests Tigers debut

WESTS TIGERS 8 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 10
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Friday

GREG MARZHEW came up with the decisive try as Newcastle spoiled Jarome Luai’s Wests debut by edging a low-quality game.

All the attention was on halfback Luai after his high-profile move from Penrith in the off-season, sensationally swapping the four-in-a-row champions for the team who have claimed three successive wooden spoons.

Luai’s influence on the Tigers was clear and looked set to help get the team off to the perfect start to the campaign when they led 8-0 at half-time.

But it was Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga who ended up the star of the show, inspiring their second-half comeback.

A strong crowd came hoping for a good display from new-look Wests, who alongside Luai – captaining the side with Api Koroisau suspended – also handed debuts to Sunia Turuva, Jeral Skelton, Terrell May, Royce Hunt and Jack Bird.

And they were rewarded inside seven minutes as Luai received an Alex Twal offload and directed the ball to the left edge for Adam Doueihi to play in former Bulldog Skelton.

Luai then saved a try at the other end, intercepting a pass intended for Phoenix Crossland after Ponga had exploited space in the Tigers defence.

Fletcher Sharpe also made a break for Newcastle only for fullback Heath Mason to recover and close down a try-scoring opportunity.

The Tigers extended their lead when the visitors were caught offside at a scrum, allowing Doueihi to add a penalty goal to his conversion of Skelton’s try and make it 8-0.

That’s how it stayed until the break, despite Bradman Best grounding with seven minutes left of the first half. The Knights centre took on Solomona Faataape and Turuva but was ruled to have been tackled before promoting the ball.

Best also failed to find winger Marzhew on the stroke of half-time as Newcastle were left with plenty to ponder.

They finally found their first points twelve minutes into the second half, thanks in large part to a fantastic run from backrower Dylan Lucas.

After Lucas burst through a gap off a Ponga pass and stepped no fewer than three defenders only to be stopped just short, Sharpe completed the final few metres from dummy-half and Ponga goaled.

The winning try was equally thrilling, starting deep in the Knights half with a brilliant break to halfway by James Schiller, a new signing from Canberra.

Pivots Jack Cogger, Ponga and Sharpe got them within range and then Marzhew managed to recover a poor Best pass, turn and scramble to the line.

Kai Pearce-Paul was denied a late try which would have sealed the Newcastle victory, but the England star made the decisive final intervention when he claimed a Galvin grubber on the retreat in the last minute.

GAMESTAR: Kalyn Ponga came to the fore to inspire Newcastle’s second-half comeback.

GAMEBREAKER: A quality finish from Greg Marzhew turned defeat into victory.

MATCHFACTS
TIGERS
1 Heath Mason
2 Sunia Turuva
3 Adam Doueihi
4 Solomona Faataape
5 Jeral Skelton
6 Lachlan Galvin
7 Jarome Luai
8 Terrell May
14 Tristan Hope
10 Fonua Pole
11 Samuela Fainu
12 Alex Seyfarth
13 Alex Twal
Subs (all used)
9 Tallyn Da Silva
15 Royce Hunt
16 Jack Bird
17 Sione Fainu

Tries: Skelton (7)
Goals: Doueihi 2/2

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 Brodie Jones
17 Mat Croker