ANALYSIS: Fired-up players separated in post-match blow-up after Saifiti sent off in Knights' dramatic win over Tigers

Tempers continued to flare long after the siren sounded in the Newcastle Knights’ dramatic 14-12 win over the Wests Tigers on Sunday.

Knights halfback Jackson Hastings approached former teammate Tommy Talau to apologise for a high tackle he made during the game that resulted in a broken nose for Talau. The apology was not met with the reception Hastings expected, with Talau giving him a shove and Tigers forward and former Knight David Klemmer a mouthful.

Hastings had just finished a post-match chat with the NRL Fox team, where he had said the tackle wasn’t intentional and that he would apologise to Talau when he saw him. The cameras were still on the Knights halfback when the incident occurred moments later.

“You can see Tommy Talau goes up to Jackson Hastings after the interview he just had with us, pushes him in the chest,” said Fox commentator Braith Anasta.

“Klemmer comes up afterwards. The Tigers not too happy with Jackson at all. Not sure if that was warranted or called for. Klemmer giving him an absolute serve. Tensions are high.”

“You don’t see that often, shirt-fronting someone after the game” added Greg Alexander.

Both Tigers coach Tim Sheens and captain Api Korisaiu denied any knowledge of the altercation in their post-match interviews.

Hastings also fired back at Sheens after reports emerged during the week that the club thought he had a lack of respect for authority last year.

“He can talk, that’s not up to me to talk, I know the truth behind what happened,” Hastings said. “He knows the truth behind what happened and it is what it is, it’s not up to me to talk in the media.

“My job is to come out here and play football, I’ve said all along that I’ve got nothing but respect for the Tigers, their fans, the players, they gave me a chance. They brought me back from England and gave me a chance in the NRL.

“I’m not here to bad mouth no one, I never will, if they want to talk they can talk. I’m just here to play football and do my best, we were lucky to get the win tonight and we roll on to next week.”

Saifiti tackle a shocker

In a game that had to be seen to be believed, the Knights put in a courageous performance to hold on for a gutsy two-point win. With tempers already heightened, Knights forward Jabob Saifiti produced a sickening head-high tackle on Tigers utility Jake Simpkin.

Saifiti was deservedly sent off for the final 15 minutes of the game, leaving Newcastle to defend their 14-6 lead with 12 men.

Sheens showed his frustrations about his injured troops.

“The couple of boys that I’m going to lose for the next week aren’t real happy and neither am I,” he said.

On the Saifiti tackle Sheens explained: “It was a fairly heavy knock, it deserved a send-off….but that doesn’t help us next week.”

It wasn’t the first time in the game the visitors were down a player after Dom Young was sin-binned for tackling Tigers centre Brett Naden without the ball. Young convinced stand-in captain Hastings that he didn’t, and what followed was the most ridiculous Captain’s Challenge ever witnessed.

The drama started early, as until the Saifiti tackle, the biggest story of the day was Kalyn Ponga once again being ruled out of the game after a head clash in the opening minute which was followed by yet another failed HIA.

Hooker Jayden Brailey was also ruled out not long after Ponga when a head clash saw him fail an HIA.

The battle of the cellar-dwellers at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday was pure chaos mixed in with some carnage, along with a dash of spite, a sprinkle of desperation and a bit of argy-bargy.

Both teams had terrible seasons in 2022 as well as coming off first-round losses and were desperate to avoid being 0-2.

Referee Peter Gough sends off Jacob Saifiti. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

To add to the mix, each side had a player set to face their old club in Jackson Hastings and David Klemmer.

Hastings almost joined Young in the naughty career after collecting Talau high, but was just placed on report.

Talau joined the failed HIA list and the Tigers clawed their way back to trail 10-6 after backrower Asu Kepaoa crossed the try line not long before halftime.

The carnage continued in the second half when Knights backrower Tyson Frizell was helped off the field with an ankle injury. And of course, young Simpkins left the field after his run-in with Saifiti, but thankfully he was able to walk off the field.

The game was frantic with both sides desperate for the two points. There were errors, dropped balls, knock-ons and missed opportunities. But somewhere in there was a game of exciting football, and the final stages were filled with edge-of-your-seat moments even for the neutral spectator.

This game was always going to have a grandstand finish, and the controversial Stefano Utoikamanu try with a minute left on the clock gave us exactly that. A two-point field goal attempt by Luke Brooks was waived away, and the Knights held on for a 14-12 win.

For a game that many had earlier rolled their eyes at, it had everything.

“I’m really proud of them, we had to contend with a whole heap,” said Knights coach Adam O’Brien.

“I think we’ve proven in the last few weeks that things aren’t always going to go to plan for us but it doesn’t mean we can’t turn up. So there’s a really good example that we can come out the other side of it.”

Daine Laurie. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

There is a real Ponga problem

This poor bugger cannot take a trick.

Ponga lasted less than a minute before coming off the field following a head clash. He failed yet another HIA, and suffered yet another concussion, after missing the end of the last season after suffering three concussions in just six weeks

The move from fullback to five-eighth will only expose Ponga to more contact and having to make more defensive decisions that will continue to prove costly if he gets them wrong.

Player welfare as well as the long-term effects of head knocks and concussions have taken centre stage recently, with more awareness and stricter protocols. We’ve seen players over recent years put their health and futures first, and hang up the boots including Roosters duo Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend.

Ponga is well and truly under the microscope.

Was that the worst Captain’s Challenge we have ever seen?

Just when we thought we had seen some desperate and crazy Captain’s Challenges, this one may have just skyrocketed to the lead.

Even someone at the Tim Tszyu fight who was nowhere near this game could see Young had tackled Naden without the ball.

“There have been some bad captain’s challenges, but that takes the cake,” said Fox League commentator Cooper Cronk.

“That was a blatant professional foul.”

So stupid.

Twal denied maiden try

OH MY GOD! He was over the try line!

As we all know, Alex Twal is desperately searching for his first-ever four-pointer. He has played 102 NRL games over six seasons with the Tigers without having scored a single try.

The crowd all rose to their feet and the confetti was almost released over the Leichhardt faithful when it looked like today the bench backrower had finally scored after he stormed over the try line.

But the bunker picked up a bobbled ball before the grounding and NO TRY was flashed on the big screen.

Today was not the day. But it was a day closer until it is.