By Scott Bailey
Newcastle have returned to the NRL’s top eight for the first time in more than a year by holding off a gutsy Warriors side in a 34-24 win at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Up 22-6 at half-time, the Knights looked at risk of becoming the second team to fall victim to a Warriors comeback in as many weeks when the visitors got the score back to 22-18.
But a costly Marcelo Montoya error coming out of his own end killed off the visitors’ momentum, before Kurt Mann regained control of the match with a try in the next set.
The result could have come at a cost though, with captain Jayden Brailey suffering a meniscus injury on the same knee in which he ruptured his ACL during 2020.
The Warriors also have concerns, with five-eighth Te Maire Martin suffering a suspected broken leg after a try-saving tackle from Knights five-eighth Phoenix Crossland.
Crossland was not penalised on field, but there were some suggestions of a hip-drop tackle as he swung around the playmaker in the tackle and contacted the back of Martin’s legs.
Warriors hooker Wayde Egan was injured in a clash of heads, ruling him out of Saturday’s match against North Queensland.
Dominic Young proves a handful for the Warriors’ defence.Credit: Getty
Much maligned and among the favourites for the wooden spoon at the start of the season, the Knights are now in a finals-playing position for the first time since round four last year.
Once again they did it off the back of winger Dominic Young, who scored their first try when he carried Montoya over the line and played a crucial role in their second.
After he marked a cross-field kick, he sprinted to take a 20-metre tap and put Lachlan Miller into space before Greg Marzhew scored on the other wing on the next play.
Young was dropped only a fortnight ago, but since his return last week the Sydney Roosters-bound winger has scored four tries against Manly before starring against the Warriors.
The Knights also went in through Tyson Frizell and Crossland via kicks before the break and looked home at 22-6.
But the Warriors were valiant, as they threatened to repeat their comeback from 20-0 down against Cronulla last week.
Shaun Johnson was again brilliant down the right edge, putting Adam Pompey over for two tries.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad also impressed at fullback, as he and Johnson combined to help put Edward Kosi over to narrow the margin to four with 23 minutes to play.
The Warriors crossed once more through Jackson Ford after Mann’s match-sealing try, but ultimately there was too much to do, and the Auckland-based side’s hopes of drawing level with ladder-leaders Brisbane were extinguished.
AAP
