Knights strike late to beat Eels at home

A late Olivia Higgins try and Kirra Dibb conversion saw the Knights edge past the Eels 18-16 on Sunday afternoon and secure a spot in the NRLW finals for the first time. 

Trailing 16-12, Higgins crashed over with three minutes to play, leaving Dibb with a conversion from just left of the uprights to win the game, which she nailed. 

The win sees Newcastle maintain their unbeaten start to the season and join the Roosters as the first teams to book their place in the finals.

The accurate boot of Dibb proved the difference on the day, with the rep star converting two tries and kicking a second-half penalty. 

Despite failing to pick up the two competition points, the Eels put in their best performance of the 2022 season and led for the majority of the match, including taking a 6-4 lead into the break.

Parramatta still remain a chance of qualifying through to the finals though, currently sitting two points back from the fourth-placed Broncos with two rounds of the regular season remaining. 

Match snapshot

• Veteran centre Rikeya Horne got the Eels out to a lead on eight minutes with a try which was converted by Tayla Preston. 
• Tamika Upton scored her second try of the year six minutes later, drawing her even with Madison Bartlett as the leading all-time NRLW scorer with nine tries. 
• Interchange forward Tayla Predebon gave the Knights the lead for the first time early in the second half with a try which required a check from the NRL Bunker, but just two minutes later Parramatta were back in front after Tess Staines scored. 
• A captain's challenge saw the Knights reverse an off-field call of a knock-on and recieve a penalty from which Kirra Dibb took the easy two on offer to tie scores at 12-all. 
• Horne scored her second try 18 minutes from time which looked set to give the Eels the win, but three minutes from the break Olivia Higgins scored and Kirra Dibb converted to lift the Knights to victory. 
• Yasmin Clydsdale was placed on report for a Dangerous Tackle in the 26th minute.
• Knights winger Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly failed to finish the game after suffering a suspected medial injury. 

Play of the game

A classy reply from one of the competition's form players after the Knights fell behind early. Dibb beat four would-be defenders on her way to a brilliant solo try. 

What they said

"This semi-final series has been a long time in the making, July last year they started, and we are just the beneficiaries of the hard work and the platform that was laid." - Knights NRLW coach Ronald Griffiths

"I thought our effort was outstanding, I thought we were the dominant team for large parts of it. Real high quality match... we kept digging in and to walk away and not get the two points is really disappointing for us." - Eels NRLW coach Dean Widders.

What's next 

Newcastle take on the ladder-leading Roosters on Saturday, with both sides already assured of playing finals football, while the Eels will have eyes on claiming their first win of the season against the last-placed Titans.