Welcome to the first game of Super Saturday – Newcastle v Warriors. Two exciting teams, should be a great afternoon of rugby league. (Pre-match)
Gidley out for the Knights, replaced by Sione Mata’utia. Tompkins out for the Warriors. Big shuffle with Henry going to centre, Kata to wing and Lolohea to fullback. (Pre-match)
Prop Matagi comes onto the bench (Pre-match)
Three rookies for the Warriors today. All NYC stars. How will they handle the step up to the NRL? (Pre-match)
Teams out on the ground now (Pre-match)
James McManus plays his 150th game today. Knights to kick off. (Pre-match)
And we are underway! (Pre-match)
Solid first set from the Warriors. Knights now 10m out. (Pre-match)
Knights complete as well. Warriors start their 2nd set 30m out from their line (Pre-match)
Johnson kick finds the line 1m out. Both sides have started well. (Pre-match)
Sims hit hard but manages a good offload. (Pre-match)
Knights complete. Warriors forwards seem to be making more meters early. (Pre-match)
Exciting last play from the Warriors with two bombs but cleaned up by McManus. (Pre-match)
Uate! Huge bust makes 60m and Knights are 5m out! (Pre-match)
Messy last play, Knights penalty. 2m out with another set of six. (Pre-match)
Clydesdale over the line but pushed back (Pre-match)
TRY! Gagai in the right corner. Lovely play through the backline, Uate holds up two and finds Gagai who crosses in the corner. (Pre-match)
4-0 kick to come. Roberts has gone up the tunnel (Pre-match)
Great kick from Randall who takes over from Roberts. Slots it from the corner. 6-0 (1H 7:26)
Both sides swap sets. Knights 15m out from their own line (1H 9:51)
Roberts having the concussion test (1H 9:51)
Warriors start their set 20m out from their line (1H 9:51)
Vete on for Lillyman. Great bumping run from Hurrell and he earns a penalty. Johnson kicks to touch. Warriors 10m out (1H 9:51)
Johnson short ball to Thompson but a try saving tackle from Randall makes Thompson drop the ball. Great tackle (1H 12:34)
Knights scrum feed 10m out from their line (1H 12:34)
Another mistake free set from the Knights. Good solid footy! Warriors start their set 30m out from their line (1H 13:37)
Hurrell down in back play… looks like his left knee (1H 13:37)
20m restart for the Knights (1H 14:53)
Hurrell still on but struggling (1H 14:53)
Mullen kick and chase nearly forces a line drop out. Warriors 1m out from their line. Hurrell off. Mannering to centre (1H 14:53)
Knights just playing quality, mistake free football. Looking good. (1H 16:36)
Beau Scott drops the ball blowing up about an obvious touch from the Warriors. Refs eventually get it right and Knights get a scrum feed 10m out from the Warriors line (1H 17:29)
Knights drop the ball. First non completion and the Warriors get off the hook. (1H 18:19)
Warriors penalty. Johnson touch finder takes them 20m out. Roberts back on. Great news for Knights fans (1H 18:19)
Townsend kicks to the corner. Close thing but no try. Refs go upstairs to find out how to restart? (1H 19:42)
8 replays later and its a Knights 20m tap (1H 21:47)
Poor attacking kick from Mullen. No pressure on Lolohea and it’s a Warriors 20m tap (1H 21:47)
Townsend bombs to Uate’s wing again. Ball falls Newscastle’s way and it’s defused. Knights 15m out from their line (1H 22:41)
Good set again from the Knights and Warriors start their set 15m out from their line. (1H 23:26)
Townsend kicks a 40/20. Great kick. (1H 23:26)
Knights penalty. Ruck infringement. Quick tap. (1H 24:28)
Thompson smashed by Roberts (1H 24:28)
TRY! Great ball from Matagi hits Leuluai close to the line. Refs send it upstairs and it is an 8point try! Roberts knee. 4-0 kick to come next to the posts. (1H 26:47)
6-0… another kick to come from in front. Roberts on report (1H 26:56)
8-6 Warriors. (1H 26:56)
great offload from Lisone with Townsend splitting them up the middle. (1H 28:52)
poor last kick from Townsend. Knights start their set 30m out from their line. Lisone looks to be a real talent. (1H 30:21)
Super play from the Warriors. Lolohea makes a great run out of nothing. Shut down by Uate who bats it into touch but he makes 60m. Warriors scrum feed (1H 30:21)
Good kick from Johnson but well read from Roberts who dives on it and just manages to stay in the field of play. (1H 31:54)
Matagi injured as the game is held up. He got his head in a bad position but he is ok. (1H 33:20)
Coming off now though, with Matulino back on (1H 33:47)
Knights make no meters of their set and Warriors start their set inside the Knights half. (1H 33:47)
Townsend drops the ball. Couple of mistakes in a row now for Townsend (1H 35:23)
Joseph Leilua gets in some space for the Knights and takes them on but is bundled into touch by Mannering 20m out. (1H 35:23)
Friend out there now and picks up 10m from dummy half. (1H 35:23)
Warriors penalty. Another ruck penalty (1H 35:23)
Warriors on the attack 30m out (1H 35:23)
Johnson to Thompson called a forward pass. Their combination isn’t quite gelling early in the season (1H 35:23)
Knights get out of gaol again. (1H 35:23)
Knights penalty and tap the ball 40m out from their line. Smart play as the Warriors were back expecting a kick and they pick up 25m (1H 35:23)
Leilua goes close but stopped 1m from the line (1H 35:52)
Sloppy last play from the Knights. The beast picks it up and runs 60m down field. Warriors 30m out (1H 35:52)
Hoffman over but looks to be held up. It goes upstairs but sent upstairs as a try. Great tackle from Scott. (1H 35:52)
TRY. Replays show he got it down. Warriors try with 20 seconds left in the half. 12-6 kick to come (1H 37:53)
Johnson kicks it from 5m out from the Warriors left hand touch line. Great kick. 14-6 Warriors (1H 38:24)
And that’s half time. (1H 38:24)
Knights have probably been the better side for most of the half. The rookies Lolohea and Mannering have been great for the Warriors (1H 38:24)
Uate is the standout for the Knights (1H 38:24)
Hurrell running up and down the sideline as both teams retake the field. Encouraging signs for the big centre (Half Time)
Warriors to kick off (Half Time)
Solid set from the Knights to restart the first half and Warriors regain the ball 10m out from their line (Half Time)
*second half (Half Time)
Johnson kicks and regathers before kicking again and forcing a drop out. Great play. McManus who cleaned up is down for the Knights (Half Time)
Warriors only 5m out on the 2nd tackle and on the attack. (2H 41:52)
Jonhson forces another line drop out. Warriors keeping the Knights under pressure. (2H 41:52)
Jonhson drops it 10m out whilst in motion. Big let off for the Knights (2H 42:48)
Another solid set from the Knights in possession but an another average finish on the set. Not bad but not dangerous (2H 45:00)
Warriors penalty. Hand in the play the ball by Beau Scott. Johnson fails to find touch and uate brings it back strongly. Knights on half way (2H 45:00)
Roberts then cuts out 2 players and the ball goes over the touchline and into about the 5th row. Right idea but poor execution. (2H 45:50)
Thompson makes a break from a Warriors short ball and is absolutely smashed by Sione Mata’utia. Penalty for dangerous tackle to Warriors but fair dinkum… great hit. (2H 47:14)
Another Warriors penalty. David Fa’alogo sent to the sin bin. Warriors 10m out (2H 47:14)
Hurrell back on. Knocks on straight away with the line wide open (2H 47:14)
Knights survive again! (2H 49:33)
Gagai down. Refs reviewing suspected crusher tackle. (2H 49:33)
No penalty and rightly so. Play on tackle two (2H 49:59)
Another poor finish to a Knights set. Kata drops it though on the next play. Knights scrum 30m out from the Warriors line (2H 50:58)
Knights penalty 20m out (2H 51:28)
Roberts. Another horrible play, throws another pass over the side line. (2H 51:28)
Teams swap sets. Arm wrestle is on. Better finish from the Knights but kick defused by Johnson (2H 54:36)
Kata makes half break and takes Warriors 40m out from their own line (2H 54:36)
Knights start there set 15m out from their line after a Jonhson kick. (2H 55:33)
TRY! Newcastle. Gagai beautiful in and away close to the line and he scores in the Knights right hand corner. Wonderful rugby league (2H 56:18)
14-10 Warriors. Kick to come (2H 56:18)
14-12 Knights. Roberts is successful from the sideline. Great kick (2H 56:18)
A great bomb from Roberts on the last. Lolohea drops the ball but Warriors get a penalty. Knights offside in the chase. Lucky break for the Warriors. (2H 59:41)
Hoffman makes a great bust. Warriors 10m out from the Knights line on attack (2H 59:41)
Crazy piece of play. It was six again but Lolohea didn’t hear the ref and kicks it to Uate (2H 61:31)
Warriors penalty. Sims caused an obstruction. Kick to touch takes the Warriors just past half way. (2H 61:31)
Natives getting restless as a wrestle breaks out. Knights penalty. Knights 30m out from their line. (2H 62:46)
Back to back penalty. Now 30m out from Warriors line. Knights are coming as the momentum swings hard to Newcastle (2H 64:13)
TRY. Newcastle Randell scores out of dummy half. 16-14 Knights. Kick to come (2H 64:13)
Roberts kick it from the left corner and its 18-14 Knights. (2H 65:24)
Mullen makes a half break down the left but the ball again goes over the touch line. Warriors were lucky there. If the pass had found the mark the Knights were away. (2H 66:04)
Flat set from the Warriors with a horrible kick on the last. Knights all over the Warriors here. (2H 67:09)
Townsend makes a break and takes the Warriors up to half way (2H 67:09)
Another shocking last play option, this time from Townsend. Knights back with the ball… and they get a penalty. (2H 70:16)
This game is end to end (2H 70:16)
Sims knocks on on the half way. Warriors scrum (2H 70:16)
Hoffman smashed by Gagai (2H 70:16)
Hurrell makes a tackle bust and nearly scores. 5m out (2H 70:16)
gagai intercept! (2H 70:16)
wow, runs 70m and the Knights 20m out. (2H 70:16)
TRY Knights. Rochow is in after Joey Leilua stands in the tackle and slips an offload 1m out. 22-14 Kick to come (2H 73:31)
No mistake from Roberts and it’s 24-14 Knights. Hard to beat from here! (2H 74:26)
Short kick off from the Warriors but Scott comes up with the ball for the Knights (2H 74:26)
Great run Leilua and he gets a penalty as well. Knights 20m out and on the attack again. (2H 74:56)
Snowden just short. (2H 74:56)
Stockwell goes close but drops it going for a try. Warriors scrum feed 10m out from Warriors line (2H 77:02)
Warriors knock on 20m out from their line. Knights on the attack again. (2H 78:12)
Lolohea cleans up and just escapes from his in goal. (2H 78:17)
Hoffman throws a horrible pass and Knights back in possession 10m out. (2H 78:17)
Another knock on. This time from Scott and the game is getting a bit sloppy. Both teams having nothing left in the tank (2H 78:49)
Full Time. Entertaining game, although plenty of errors in attack and defence for both sides. Knights will be happy to start their season with a win. (2H 78:49)
Gagai, Leilua and Uate were all standouts for the Knights. Hoffman best for the Warriors. (Full Time)
