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Knights open the scoring
James Schiller is the lucky recipient of some clever play from Kalyn Ponga (dragging defenders around and creating room on the outside) and Kai Peace-Paul (great, quick pass) and the Knights are the first to score. They haven’t been perfect so far, but they got everything right on this play. Knights lead 6-0 after 12 minutes
Lucky break for Dolphins as errors mount
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow put in an average attempt to tap a kick over the dead ball line, only to have Knights forward Tyson Frizell knock it on while attempting to score a try. No harm done in the end and for the Dolphins a 20m tap rather than a goal-line dropout. Neither side will be happy with their error-prone starts. 0-0 after eight minutes
A hopeful Dolphins fan
Please, Hammer, please.Credit: Getty Images
Dolphins attack derailed
Felise Kaufusi rolls the ball between his legs instead of playing it and a promising position for the Dolphins amounts to nothing. Now that a line in the sand has been made for the night, it will be interesting to see if that stance remains for the next 77 minutes of action.
Players on the field … and we’re away
The visitors and then the hosts have made their way onto the field. Last-minute thoughts are had, prayers are said and game faces are applied. The weather conditions, and the playing surface, suggest there is no reason why this won’t be an exciting, open contest.
Will Ponga pounce?
As we close in on kick-off, thoughts regarding the Knights turn to one man – Kalyn Ponga. When he is firing, as he was in last week’s win over Wests Tigers, Ponga is as good as there is. If he finds open space tonight it will be tough sledding for the Dolphins.
At least the visitors have a rival for Ponga – the attacking livewire Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. With speed to burn and a great eye for a gap in opposition defences, he is a match-winner.
Also, both sides will start 1-17.
Knights star Kalyn Ponga.Credit: Getty Images
Api’s happy for Tigers to chase Taylan May
Socceroos news
Yeah, it’s not NRL but it is still worthy of a spot in this blog. The Socceroos are back in action next week and need a couple of good results if they are to book an early spot in next year’s World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada. The Herald’s Vince Rugari has taken a look at who coach Tony Popovic has at his disposal for the matches against Indonesia (at Allianz Stadium on Thursday) and China (in China) after that.
As for the Dolphins
It’s been an interesting few months for the Dolphins. Foundation coach Wayne Bennett is gone and Kristian Woolf has taken over for his first season in charge of an NRL team. Then of course, was the late (and wise) decision to move last week’s match against South Sydney from Brisbane to Sydney due to Cyclone Alfred.
A handful of players opted to miss that match so they could be with family as the cyclone approached. As a result it was little surprise that they were beaten – even by a depleted Rabbitohs team.
Tonight should be better. But, then again, so will the opposition.
Last night’s boxing
Thing’s didn’t end well for Australian Brock Jarvis in his fight against visiting American Keith Thurman in Sydney.
