The St George Illawarra Dragons overcame an injury-ravaged Newcastle Knights by 22-13 at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Mitchell Pearce, Tex Hoy and Kurt Mann failed to see the game out for Newcastle, whilst David Klemmer played injured for the final quarter of the match.
Tensions were high early when Klemmer and Blake Lawrie locked horns in a scrum. It was to prove the opening salvo of a tough forward battle for the entire afternoon.
Newcastle’s first try came against the run of play in the eleventh minute. Cody Ramsey made a mess of a Pearce bomb and Gehamat Shibasaki was on the mark to score.
The game swung fifteen minutes later when Pearce threw out his left arm in an attempted tackle on Tariq Sims. Pearce clutched his shoulder and left the field immediately, with the early diagnosis being a torn pec and three to six weeks on the sidelines.
An Adam Clune bomb levelled the scores not long after. Tex Hoy made the mistake this time, with Trent Merrin picking up the loose ball, wrong-footing Hoy and diving over to score.
With time running out in the first half, a Kurt Mann field goal gave Newcastle a one-point lead at the break.
The Knights came out of the sheds smartly, and extended their lead nine minutes in. Josh King barged over from close range, beating some flimsy Dragons defence.
To their credit, the Dragons hit back almost straight away. Adam Clune drifted across field and found Tariq Sims steaming through a hole. He beat Mann and dived over for a spectacular try. The Dragons were back within a point.
With Tex Hoy injuring his hamstring just on half time, a sickening collision, with 25 minutes left on the clock, left the Knights in trouble. Kurt Mann was knocked out attempting a tackle on Mikaele Ravalawa, and Newcastle was just hanging on.
With twenty minutes remaining, St George Illawarra struck. Sims made his second charge down for the afternoon and this time paid it paid the ultimate dividend, as he scored his second try.
Corey Norman added to the home crowd’s woes with thirteen minutes left on the clock. A pinpoint grubber on the Dragons left edge was taken by Wiliame who flashed in to score.
The Knights were brave to the end but the Dragons had done enough, and recorded their third straight victory. After an unimpressive pre season, they are shaping up as an improver in 2021.
(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The Knights’ injury toll mounted further this afternoon, and they have plenty of worries on their mind as they confront a tough draw over the next five weeks.
3 points: Tariq Sims was immense against his former club, being aggressive in attack and defence, charging down two kicks and scoring a brace of tries.
2 points: Corey Norman is much maligned but took on a greater responsibility with Ben Hunt on the sidelines. His kicking game was impressive and most of the Dragons attack came through him.
1 point: Jayden Brailey gave his all for the Knights, topping the tackle count and making a number of darting dummy half runs.
Heyou
Roar Rookie
World beaters? No... not yet.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I think it's dumb too and like I said, I don't think they'll do it against all clubs and if it backfires once that will be the end of it. But kudos to Hook for giving some faith and control to his team.
steveng
Roar Rookie
:laughing: let's see how confident the Dragons will be against us or the chooks? I will dare them to go for the 10m antime against us but, I still think that's really dumb footy and a coach should not make his players get into bad habits, no excuses.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
:shocked: Jeepers, that's really angry..
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Mate, I didn't like it but while I know where you are at, you're up the wrong tree. If the coach wants give his players some leeway, and note they said it was easier to defend on their line than 30 out then it's his call. Note - they didn't have a try scored, South did. So maybe they're a better judge of their talents than you. Maybe they wouldn't against another team but felt confident on Sunday. It didn't cost them, so phooey to the knockers. This is a team growing in confidence and the trust of their coach, don't let fear and inhibition strangle them.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I was a RahRah junior ref, also ran lines. We were taught to stand in line with the kicker and the post, so basically you had to peek around the post to watch the kick. Perfect position, no matter how high the ball went you got a perfect view of if it was in or not. League touchies seem to stand inside the post thus if its close you can't tell for sure. Lomaz was dudded.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
I counted 4 attempted shoulder charges. We’re any of the players cited? Or penalised for shoulder charges? Surely the refs and bunker all saw a replay.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Yeah, O'Brien looks like a stroppy character. Watching him hurl his clipboard across the dressing room,it's not the first time I've seen him lose it. Reminds me of that angry ant Joe Pesci in the movie Goodfellas.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Some of these touch judges need a rocket up them DP. There was a ballsup in the Newcastle v Tigers game last week as well as this week. Graham Annersley, yoo hoo, where are you?
steveng
Roar Rookie
Yes I did and I don't agree with Hook, as professionals should never ever give any opportunity to the opposition DP. These line dropouts are good if you are behind and you want posetion back and there is 3min to and there is 4 points in it but, the Dragons were doing it 10min out and they were only 9 points ahead, also this "gave them some trust and leeway" is allot of nonsense, as that won't happen against a top side or even in the next game when the Knight get their full side back, as its just dumb and risky footy. That is what I was whinging about what LM did at the death of the Bunnies v Roosters game which didn't workout and was just simple dumb play as the Bunnies allowed an easy 6 pointer which Bennett was furious about and pointed out post match.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
re: Norman's kicks, have a listen to Hook's presser.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I had the horrors with Norman's kicks, but did you hear Hook at the presser? He doesn't like it, but I liked the way he said the side backed their defence from 10 out so he gave them some trust and leeway. Especially after the tactic cost Souths 2 tries at the death. Good coaching and relationship building.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Yeah, O'Brien has a bit too much anger issues...
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
While both passes were okay, I'm happy if that's the standard and is applied to all teams. Better a try lost through a forward pass incorrectly called than a try leaked through one missed. Chooks will be in for a shock if these are called. Also the game will be a better spectacle with players deeper and running onto the pass. If it's flat it's often forward. Also, can you call the bunker to check on goal kicks?? Lomax got a fair goal disallowed because the touchie was in the wrong position.
Rossi
Roar Rookie
That win over Easts in October 2010 wasn't too bad either... Bit off topic but if I had to write a top 20 since merger moments I reckon Nathan Blacklock would own a dozen of them! He scored a try from his own half against Tigers in the last minute to win the game, he scored the winner in the comeback against Manly, his GF try was magic, there were plenty of others. One of my favourite memories is that ANZAC game where Head put Cooper over and converted from sideline, 2004 I think it was. Plenty of Gasnier and Soward magic too, hasn't been all bad for us.
Rossi
Roar Rookie
Rava has improved out of sight, he was always a powerful athlete and got his hands dirty but he'd rush off his wing in defence and had butterfingers; now he's safe as houses and seems to listen to Lomax. Speaking of Lomax, he's the real deal Holyfield that kid, what a talent. Great to see Tariq at his best again, and I was impressed with him protecting Kurt Mann when he was down as in the past he'd have been in the middle of that brouhaha. Don't think they'll match the Eels but they'll get physical and make it hard for them, which is really pleasing after last couple of years. Can see they are improving and building.
Rossi
Roar Rookie
No mention of the Dragons disallowed try? I hate this new rule, after that I couldn't get excited about their tries until after Lomax had taken the conversion and Knights kicked (didn't stop me getting pumped up as much as Sims though when he scored his 2nd!) Also Hunt, Bird, McInnes and JdB are out too so Dragons weren't exactly full strength, though Knights were admittedly down on interchanges. I thought Klemmer was lucky not to be binned also. But I must say that Knights try that was disallowed was flat not forward, bad call.
Rossi
Roar Rookie
That kick was good, I rewatched a few times. Funnily enough I have a mate who was at the Manly game in Round 3 and said he definitely missed the one they allowed! Might have been a leveller.
steveng
Roar Rookie
I'm not writing them off, they just have to have more in attack to beat the 1st four and not just Sims smothering kicks at the right time that gets them out of trouble to win. Let's see what happens as they haven't convinced me as yet.
Zenn
Roar Rookie
Ravalawa had a great game. Corey Norman's two late line drop outs were embarrassing and naive.