Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 3:10pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 3:10pm

41′ Knights kick off the second half in Auckland

Surely the Warriors will come over the top in this one against 12 men.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:55pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:55pm

Newcastle strikes before half-time

Down to 12 men, losing their starting back rower, but the Knights aren’t slowing down and Fletcher Hunt scores his second on the end of another lovely right-side shift.

Sandon Smith will have a shot from the sideline to tie the game heading into the break.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:51pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:51pm

39′ Oh no, that’s a horrible injury

Francis Manuleleua is down and in agony after being smashed by Jacob Laban.

And the replays show he’s dislocated his right elbow. Disgusting and debilitating.

The medicab is coming out for the big Knights back rower, who gets the green whistle for his troubles.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:45pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:45pm

35′ The 12-man Knights keep pressing

Greg Marzhew breaks down the left and grubbers back in-field, putting Bradman Best in a foot race with Jacob Laban.

Laban wins and says he grounded it in the in-goal, but referee Adam Gee isn’t so sure.

We’re off to the bunker.

Gee was right, in fact. Kind of. Laban grounded the ball before the line, but rolled with it into the in-goal. So I thought it should be a dropout.

But instead the bunker says after Laban’s contact, Best got a hand in there and knocked on in the field of play. I’m not so sure about that.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:41pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:41pm

32′ Nothing’s working for the Knights right now

Dane Gagai unleashes Fletcher Hunt down the wing for a great break. He makes the smart play to dive into the turf as Lofi Khan-Pereira tracks him down, but then gets up on all fours and is dumped into touch.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:34pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:34pm

26′ That won’t help the Newcastle cause

Kalyn Ponga gets the ball one of the ruck, turns to pass and it just slips out of his hands.

The Warriors go right on the attack from 20 metres out.

Good luck, Knights.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:30pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:30pm

Here come the Wahs

James Fisher-Harris and Erin Clark skittle defenders as they have done so many times this year, and Wayde Egan finds the tryline from dummy half from about a metre out.

The conversion leaves the Warriors just six points back with 16 minutes left in this half. The Knights are struggling to defend with 12 men.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:26pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:26pm

Warriors hit back

Young Jett Cleary switches up the play, faking open and going short side on the last, finding Wayde Egan and Jacob Laban on the right to score.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:21pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:21pm

The 12-man Knights keep pouring it on

Both Newcastle wingers, Fletcher Hunt and Greg Marzhew, make big metres down either flank, and the Knights spin it right until they find the gap in the line, which Jermaine McEwen surges through without being touched.

Who needs 13 players?

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:05pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 2:05pm

4′ Newcastle making the early running

A midfield error into a scrum penalty by the Warriors hands the Knights the ball in good field position, and they force an early dropout.

Sun 30 Aug 2026 at 1:59pmSun 30 Aug 2026 at 1:59pm

A reminder

Have the Knights healed from this moment last year?