Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks - result, commentary and highlights

Michael Di Lonardo

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Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks - result, commentary and highlights image

Newcastle have snatched a late winner, with Edrick Lee going from public enemy #1 to fan favourite in the final 10 minutes.

Knights Cronulla score

Excitement was in the air as a stack of new recruits had their first run in new colours, with Newcastle prop David Klemmer and Sharks playmaker Shaun Johnson headlining the list for both clubs.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS V CRONULLA SHARKS - LIVE BLOG

MORE: Newcastle and Sharks players honour Christchurch shooting victims with minute's silence

80th minute: That's a wrap. Knights have secured their first win of the season with a hard-working effort. Cronulla were resilient and if Townsend's pass found Sione Katoa the result would have been flipped. Knights win 14-8.

79th minute: Paul Gallen drops it cold and it looks like it's game over here. Knights lead 14-8 with a minute on the clock. Scrum-feed Knights.

77th minute: Knights hold on with some scrambling defence. Cronulla will have one more set and they have Newcastle pinned in their own territory.

76th minute: This is mayhem! Cronulla win the short kick-off after Kalyn Ponga knocks it on. 4 minutes. Down by 6. All on the line her.

75th minute: INTERCEPT! Edrick Lee corrects his error and reads a Chad Townsend pass, going the length of the field to score a brilliant solo try. Knights lead 14-8.

71st minute: CONTROVERSY! Shaun Johnson grubbers the ball and Sione Katoa is taken out by Edrick Lee. Josh Dugan failed to ground the ball, but the attention of the replays went to the Katoa incident. The video referee deemed it to be a professional foul and called it a penalty try. Scores are level again 8-8.

68th minute: The first TRY! Persistence has paid off as Mitchell Pearce perfectly puts Tim Glasby through a hole. Poor defensive read from Matt Prior. Kalyn Ponga converts. Knights lead 8-2.

66th minute: Matt Moylan is looking extremely dangerous, he breaks through the line but can't connect with Josh Morris who grubbers it off his foot with Sosaia Feki cleaning it up, only to be put into touch. Knights attack from just within Sharks territory.

64th minute: Matt Moylan decides to run it on last tackle and almost creates an attacking chance but Josh morris' pass to Sosaia Feki is called forward. Scores remain 2-2.

63rd minute: Moylan attempts another short drop-out and wins it. Sharks ball.

63rd minute: Kurt Mann puts in a lovely grubber but the ball bounces away from Tim Glasby. Cronulla drop-out.

62nd minute: Kurt Mann has provided a spark out of dummy-half and is tearing up Cronulla's middle. Knights get a penalty for slowing down the play-the-ball. Attacking from the 30m line.

60th minute: Another poor attacking set from the Knights, Josh Dugan and Sione Katoa remain patient not to bat the ball dead. 20m tap Cronulla.

59th minute: Kurt Capewell is pinned for a late hit on Mitchell Pearce and the Knights will start the set from the Sharks' 20m line. Aaron Woods was treated for a head cut as fans booed the time it took for the trainer's treatment.

55th minute: Both sides are waiting for the other to blink as they go back and forth. Newcastle give away a penalty with Cronulla to start the set from their own 30m line.

50th minute: Andrew Fifita is pinned for a rake and and a lengthy Mitchell Pearce kick gives the Knights great field possession, but MItch Barnett blows it with an attacking penalty after missing the play-the-ball with his foot.

47th minute: Newcastle are awarded a penalty from in front and Kalyn Ponga converts. Scores level again at 2-2.

46th minute: Matt Moylan drops the ball off the kick-off and it's a Cronulla drop-out. Moylan inadvertently attempts a short drop-out but Newcastle gain possession.

45th minute: Daniel Saifiti has hobbled off the field with what appears to be a leg injury. Will provide an update when more news comes through.

45th minute: A series of penalties march Cronulla down the other end of the field and they decide to take the two point. Shaun Johnson converts from in front. 2-0 Cronulla.

44th minute: Newcastle's red zone attack is stale and they fail to throw anything capable of breaking Cronulla's brick wall defence.

42nd minute: Cronulla storm down the field as Shaun Johnson puts Josh Dugan through, Dugan grubbers through for Katoa who regain and passes to Dugan for an on-field call of try, However, replays denied Katoa of a magic effort as he was deemed to have deliberately bat the ball over Connor Watson's head. No try, scores remain 0-0.

41st minute: We're back underway! A swirling bomb is left to bounce and the Knights have Cronulla pinned in their own half.

40th minute: And there you have it - the first scoreless first half since round 18, 2013. A 0-0 deadlock at half-time.

39th minute: Cronulla bomb another chance as Josh Dugan racks up his FOURTH error for the half. Newcastle's left edge defence is looking shaky.

38th minute: David Klemmer has run an incredible 128 metres off 11 runs in the first half alone. Wow!

38th minute: Kalyn Ponga tries his signature short ball to Lachlan Fitzgibbon but Cronulla's defence are all over it on the last tackle.

36th minute: Daniel Saifiti knocks in on but for the second time in the match the Sharks have followed suit in the ensuing play. Knights ball on halfway.

33rd minute: Not since round 18, 2013 have we had a scoreless first half. This one is looking that way. Scores remain 0-0.

30th minute: Shaun Johnson opens up Newcastle's left edge and all it needed was one more pass, but Josh Dugan held one a moment too long.

29th minute: Daniel Saifiti comes within inches of scoring but a brilliant effort from Andrew Fiifta holds him up.

27th minute: Newcastle deny the chance to take the two points for another attacking chance.

23rd minute: Aaaand Cronulla's defence holds on again. A wayward Mitchell Pearce kick misses its target and the scores remain 0.0.

22nd minute: Edrick Lee cleans up Josh Dugan in a prefect tackle, forcing the ball out to gain a scrum on the halfway line. Knights on again.

19th minute: Cronulla have their best attacking opportunity of the evening with a scrum on Newcastle's 10m line, but Shaun Johnson knocks it on after a poor pass from Andrew Fifita.

17th minute: Shaun Kenny-Dowall almost crosses over for Newcastle's first try with a leaping catch, however the video referee overturn the on-field call after replays showed a slight knock-on.

15th minute: Knights have another chance off a Kalyn Ponga kick but the batted ball back falls into the line the lap of the Sharks.

9th min: Was that Sharks fans' chuckling we just heard? A three-on-two down the Sharks left side almost saw Edrick Lee draw first blood against his own team. Tough chance, but he spilled it.


6th min: A question for the ages.


GAMETIME The minute's silence has been held - and we're off.


 

5.47pm: Side note - Knights centre Tautau Moga has made his first appearance since suffering a fourth ACL injury last year, playing 28 minutes in Newcastle's 24-4 victory over Newtown Jets in the NSW Cup. Moga will be eased into the first grade squad, with Hymel Hunt taking his place in the interim.


5.15pm: Both teams will line up 1-17 with no changes to their team lists.

5.12pm: NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg has announced both of Friday night's game will do a minute's silence in tribute of the Christchurch shooting victims.


 

3.08pm: Sharks rookies Blayke Brailey and Briton Nikora will make their NRL debuts tonight.


3.07pm: One of, if not their best forwards last year, Knights gun Herman Ese'ese will start the season in reserve grade at lock.


NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS V CRONULLA SHARKS - PREVIEW

Fresh faces are abundant throughout both Newcastle and Cronulla as the opposing new-look spines face their first test. In their trial last week, it was Shaun Johnson and Matt Moylan who ran riot, leading the away team to a compelling 30-6 victory. Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga went missing in action and is preparing for an even bigger challenge with Sharks halfback Chad Townsend declaring the Dally M favourite would be targeted heavily in defence. Defence was Newcastle's kryptonite last season, ranked 15th in the league, with the leadership group reacting by setting themselves a goal to become a top five defensive team this year. The Novocastrians' record is ugly against Cronulla, losing their last eight games. However, the Sharks are historically slow starters, only winning one of their last nine season openers. The bookmakers can barely split the sides as the Knights hit favouritism late on Firday afternoon at $1.83 odds, with Cronulla going out to $2.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS TEAM LIST

1 Connor Watson 2 Edrick Lee 3 Hymel Hunt 4 Jesse Ramien 5 Shaun Kenny-Dowall 6 Kalyn Ponga 7 Mitchell Pearce 8 David Klemmer 9 Danny Levi 10 James Gavet 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12 Sione Mata’utia 13 Tim Glasby. Interchange: 14 Kurt Mann 15 Aidan Guerra 16 Mitchell Barnett 17 Daniel Saifiti. Reserves: 18 Jamie Buhrer 19 Herman Ese’ese

NOTES: Newcastle are expected to line up 1-17.

CRONULLA SHARKS TEAM LIST

1 Matt Moylan 2 Sosaia Feki 3 Josh Dugan 4 Josh Morris 5 Sione Katoa 6 Shaun Johnson 7 Chad Townsend 8 Andrew Fifita 9 Jayden Brailey 10 Matt Prior 11 Briton Nikora 12 Kurt Capewell 13 Paul Gallen (c). Interchange: 14 Blayke Brailey 15 Jayson Bukuya 16 Aaron Woods 17 Jack Williams. Reserves: 18 Scott Sorensen 19 Kyle Flanagan

NOTES: Blayke Brailey has passed a fitness test after recovering from a thumb injury suffered in the trials. Scott Sorenson is expected to join the 17 in place of Jack Williams.

Michael Di Lonardo

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