Newcastle Knights five-eighth, Fletcher Sharpe, has inadvertently entered the running for the year’s worst dropout, as highlighted during the team’s 20-6 defeat against the Dragons at Kogarah. Late in the first half, Sharpe’s dropout attempt failed spectacularly to reach the required 10-metre mark, instead tracing a path back towards the Knights’ dead ball line, ultimately rolling over several metres inside the touchline. Nine commentator Mat Thompson remarked on the moment, exclaiming, “Oh wow … that’s so bad it’s impressive,” while rugby league legend Andrew Johns admitted he had never seen anything like it.
The blunder set the stage for a Dragons’ response. Following the dropout, rookie Loko Pasifiki Tonga effectively capitalised on the situation, scoring his first NRL try, adding to the crowd’s excitement. Despite this mishap, Sharpe’s performance stood out in what was otherwise a disappointing showing for the Knights, who appeared vastly different from the side that had triumphed over the Panthers the previous week.
In his NRL debut, former Olympian Nathan Lawson almost found the try line early, only to have a pass from Valentine Holmes ruled forward. The Dragons took control of the match, with Kyle Flanagan breaking the stalemate after 20 minutes by fooling defenders with a dummy pass, setting up Jaydn Su’A for a try. Soon after, Jack de Belin’s powerful drive led to Clint Gutherson scoring, pushing the Dragons’ lead to 18-0 by half-time.
The conditions proved tricky in the second half, with missed scoring opportunities costing the Dragons. Both Tyrell Sloan and Valentine Holmes dropped the ball when in scoring positions.
The Knights finally managed to breach the scoreboard late in the match, with Leo Thompson making a decisive cross-field run to create a try for Kai Pearce-Paul.
Additionally, Kalyn Ponga was a late withdrawal from the match, as Coach O’Brien opted to rest the star fullback due to an ankle injury sustained in the previous week’s game against Parramatta. O’Brien explained that he needed to protect Ponga from overexertion, especially with another match scheduled just days later, which led to disappointment for the player.
Overall, the match had its share of highs and lows, with key plays defining the outcome amid less-than-ideal conditions.