On Saturday in Perth, the Newcastle Knights secured a hard-fought 26-20 victory over the Dolphins, overcoming adversity that included a sin bin for Dane Gagai and a controversial no-try decision. The match was tightly contested, locked at 20-20 with just five minutes to go, when a potential game-winning try by Jayden Brailey was disallowed after referee Grant Atkins judged that James Schiller’s pass to Brailey had been forward.
The decision sparked frustration among the Knights players, leading to audible boos from the crowd at HBF Park. However, with just a minute remaining, the Knights made a final push into Dolphins territory. They capitalised on a mistake by Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who failed to handle a high kick from Phoenix Crossland. Bradman Best exploited the ensuing gap in the Dolphins’ defence, linking up with Brodie Jones, who scored the try that clinched the victory, with Gagai successfully converting to finalise the score at 26-20.
Earlier in the match, Gagai’s temporary absence due to a sin bin saw the Dolphins take the lead, with Jamayne Isaako and Tabuai-Fidow each scoring, pushing the score to 20-16. Before Gagai’s return, the Knights equalised when Best scored off a grubber from Kalyn Ponga.
Newcastle faced additional challenges, including the loss of five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe, who suffered a concussion early in the second half following a tackle by Jeremy Marshall-King. The Dolphins also faced a setback when winger Jack Bostock was removed from the game due to a suspected ACL injury.
Looking ahead, the Knights will face the Raiders next Friday, while the Dolphins are set to compete against the Rabbitohs the following Saturday. The win is a much-needed boost for Newcastle as they aim to rejuvenate their season.