Matt Attard review Newcastle’s record-breaking win over Canterbury-Bankstown.
Result
Newcastle Knights 66
Tries: (11) Bradman Best 16th, 36th, 56th; Jackson Hastings 12th, 51st; Phoenix Crossland 34th, 70th; Lachlan Fitzgibbon 24th; Kurt Mann 42nd; Greg Marzhew 49th; Enari Tuala 64th
Goals: (11) Kalyn Ponga 13th, 17th, 26th, 35th, 37th, 43rd, 50th, 53rd, 58th, 66th, 71st
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 0
Tries: N/A
Goals: N/A
Report
Kalyn Ponga has torn a disgraced Bulldogs team to shreds at Accor Stadium as the Knights racked up a record score in front of a disappointed Canterbury crowd – who booed their team off the field.
Pre-match the Bulldogs made a late change, with Raymond Faitala-Mariner making a return from injury on the bench, while the visitors swapped the Saifiti brothers around, opting to start with Jacob.
Both teams traded errors early before a Jack Hastings dummy from a scrum opened the scoring. Ponga converted the try for a 6-0 lead.
Off the back of ill-discipline the Bulldogs found themselves under pressure and the Knights pounced, Ponga setting up a slick backline move to send Bradman Best over. The conversion made it 12-0.
The Bulldogs’ defence was horrendous, culminating in 22 missed tackles at the 20-minute mark. The Knights had missed zero in comparison.
Newcastle’s dominance continued with some awful goal-line defence gifting Lachlan Fitzgibbon an easy one-on-one shot on the line. Ponga’s conversion took the score to 18-0.
The Bulldogs continued to be rolled through the ruck, with an offload and left-side shift carving up the Bulldogs’ edge defence. Phoenix Crossland was the next beneficiary, scoring next to the posts for an easy try.
On the next set Ponga was at it again, slicing down the left side to send Best in for a double. In the blink of an eye it was 30-0, staying that way at half-time.
With their first chance of the second half the Knights were able to expose the Bulldogs’ right-edge defence, with Kurt Mann strolling in for a 36-0 lead.
Best thought he had a third until The Bunker intervened, but from the ensuing set barnstorming winger Greg Marzhew crashed over. Ponga’s sideline conversion took the scoreline to 42-0.
A set later and Hastings had a double, again down the Bulldogs’ right edge, extending the score to 48-0 after the conversion.
Paul Alamoti dropped the ball cold from a scrum and Best needed no invitation to scoop on it and race away for a hat-trick. Ponga converted for a 54-0 lead with 21 minutes remaining.
Enari Tuala was the next to cross with ease, scoring through a gaping hole. Ponga’s conversion brought up 60.
Crossland bagged his double not long after Leo Thompson was unfairly denied a try. Ponga converted his 11th goal of the afternoon for a 66-0 lead.
It could have been more if not for a few late drop balls, however the comprehensive win was still the biggest in Newcastle’s history, beating the 60-0 win over Souths in 1999.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
2 – Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Knights)
1 – Phoenix Crossland (Knights)
