The Newcastle Knights held off a fast-finishing Cronulla Sharks to win 22-14 and continue their strong form leading into the end of the regular season.
The hard-fought victory has ensured the Knights sit on equal points with the ladder leading Roosters with three rounds left of the regular season.
It was a tale of two halves for the Cronulla outfit who went into the sheds down 16-0 at the break, but three late tries wasn't enough to reduce the deficit.
Knights players Jesse Southwell and Tamika Upton helped steer the reigning premiers home in front of a boisterous crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium.
An early error from the Sharks in their first set gave the Knights prized field position and it was Southwell running on the short side before putting Shanice Parker over in the right corner.
Shanice Parker Try
A hip-drop tackle on Upton saw Sharks centre Annessa Biddle sent to the sin bin in the seventh minute and moments later the Knights were able to capitalise through Tayla Predebon who crashed over from close range.
The contest was in the balance for the next 20 minutes until Yasmin Clydesdale broke through a hole laid on by Caitlan Johnston in the 30th minute to make it 16-0 early.
The Sharks threw plenty at the Knights defence, however the Novocastrians were able to keep them scoreless at half-time.
The Knights got close to extending their lead through Upton however the ball rolled over the dead-ball line before she could cleanly ground the Steeden.
A short-side raid for the Sharks almost got them on the scoreboard through Talei Holmes, however it got called back for an obstruction penalty.
Georgia Ravics Try
The Knights went down the other end in the following set where Parker went in for her second after a Southwell bomb forced an error.
The Sharks were able to get on the board when Georgia Ravics was on the end of a lofted pass from Sharks fullback Jada Taylor to make it 22-4.
As the game went on, the Sharks gained more momentum and grew in confidence which saw Ellie Johnston crash over from close range in front of the posts, reducing the deficit to 22-10 with 17 minutes to play.
The Sharks were coming home strong, and it was front-rower Chloe Saunders who found herself on the wing due to a backline reshuffle sneaking over in the corner to narrow the gap to eight.
A handful of errors close to full-time ended any chances for the Sharks to make a comeback with the Knights keeping their unbeaten record at home in tact in 2023.
The Sharks found their way back in the arm wrestle later in the first half before Newcastle forwards Yasmin Clydsdale broke the stalemate in the 30th minute to hand the home side a 16-0 lead at the break.
Yasmin Clydsdale Try
After Cronulla had a try denied by the bunker in the 42nd minute the Knights took the ball downfield and Parker bagged a double to stretch the home side's lead 22-0.
Cronulla clicked into gear in the second half with Georgia Ravics, Ellie Johnston and Chloe Sauders reducing the deficit 22-14, but that's as close as the visitors came.
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Match Snapshot
- Sharks centre Annessa Biddle was placed on report and sent to the sin bin for an alleged hip drop tackle on Tamika Upton. Biddle was later sent for a HIA after suffering a head knock in the 57th minute.
- Cronulla winger Andie Robinson left the field in the 59th minute with a suspected knee injury.
- Knights forward Viena Tinao was sent for a HIA after suffering a head knock in the 57th minute.
- Knights backrower Laishon Albert-Jones was sent for a HIA in the 35th minute, but returned to the field.
- Knights halfback Jesse Southwell made 266 kicking metres in the victory.
- Knights second-rower Yasmin Clydesdale ran for 144 metres.
Play of the Game
Knights centre Shanice Parker couldn't cross the line last season, but the Māori All Star was a try scoring machine at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. Parker opened the scoring in the second minute of the match, but the 25-year-old speedster made it a double in the 43rd minute with a crafty kick and chase down Newcastle's right edge.
Shanice Parker Try
What They Said
Sharks: Round 6
“The girls fought to the end. We were pretty proud of them. We put ourselves in a position towards the end there if a couple of things had gone our way it might be a different story. We needed to start better, and we didn’t. The game got away from us in around there.” - Sharks coach Tony Herman.
Knights: Round 6
“I thought we were extremely good in the first half but didn’t follow the process in the second, so we’ve got a little bit of work to do. But no greater day than old boys’ day to run out and actually get a win. We kept turning up for each other which is important. We spoke at half-time that we knew the Sharks would stay in it and keep coming.” - Knights coach Ronald Griffiths.
What's Next
The Knights travel to GIO Stadium to meet with the Raiders on Saturday morning while the Sharks head to Townsville to clash with the Broncos on the same day.