15. Scott Schulte

2. Bureta Faraimo

3. Vai Toutai

4. Ryan Morgan

5. Honeti Tuha

6. Mitch Cornish

7. Luke Kelly

8. Rory O’Brien

9. Cameron King

10. Daniel Alvaro

11. Kelepi Tanginoa

12. Cody Nelson (c)

14. James Hasson

Interchange:

 

16. Nick Kassis

17. Blake Cook

19.  Nick Walker

24. Andrew Pearn

 

Several changes for Wenty today. Kieren Moss drops out of the team and Scott Schulte gets the chance to start once more at fullback. Matt Woods is also out for the Magpies so James Hasson comes into the starting backrow at lock. With two open spots on the bench Nick Walker and Andrew Pearn get the call up by coach Joey Grima.

 

Wenty will be receiving the ball in the first half, running towards the cricket field.

 

Alvaro and Nelson cart the ball up in the first two tackles for the Magpies. O’Brien is up next but Kelepi makes an error on the fourth tackle. Early chance for the Knights. They attack our right edge early in the set before swinging back centre field. The try to stab a grubber in behind on the last but O’Brien cleans it up after a deflection in the line.

 

Tanginoa goes some way towards redemption with a barnstorming run that drags defenders for metres which paves the way for Kelly to shoot off a 40/20. Great kick!

 

We give Faraimo an early chance down the right-edge and he looks to power his way over. He gets in goals and perhaps gets the ball down but the touchy sees him just into touch. Close call!

 

Newcastle reply in rapid fashion as a series of offloads get them into our half but some desperate cover defence eventually forces an error. Phew.

 

Tuha, Faraimo and Toutai give Wenty great service coming out of their red zone before O’Brien and Alvaro bring up the last. Alvaro is dusty from that run though. The set is completed with an easily defused bomb. Newcastle are applying the blow torch to Wenty though as they open us up the middle again. Wenty scramble once more to shut the runner down before we regain possession from their attempted grubber kick on the last via Vai Toutai. Need to be better up the middle.

 

As an aside, Honeti Tuha is playing fullback and Scott Schulte is on the left wing.

 

Newcastle get to their kick without breaking our line this set and Tuha takes the swirling bomb superbly. Toutai and O’Brien get us to half way late in the set. Kelly sends up a swirling bomb of his own in return but Feeney takes it well for the visitors.

 

Both teams just getting through their sets here, although Newcastle are winning the territorial war at this stage. Wenty look to break the stalemate as they spin it to their right edge early this set. Faraimo comes back inside and looks to offload to Toutai but it gets a Newcastle hand. Toutai dives on it for a fresh set!

 

Nelson and Alvaro provide strong carries from the six again call and we then go left to Tanginoa but he is well tackled. We waste a tackle on the next play when Cornish tries to dart behind the ruck from right to left and is tackled. We bomb it to our right on the last and it looks to be too deep but Faraimo does well to bat it back in but Newcastle clean it up outside their goal line.

 

Wenty get their own chance to open the scoring when the Knights cough it up working it off their line.

 

Faraimo and Alvaro take it to the line first before Cornish runs it himself. Might have been able to use Kelepi there. We then take it right to Faraimo once more, he gets a rubbish pass but cleans it up well and heads back infield to centre the ball and drags defenders to the goal line.

 

That brings up the last and we go to our left with Kelly linking up to Cornish who then finds Tuha out the back. The Knights start to scramble against the sweep play but Tuha reads it well and rolls the ball in behind for Scott Schulte and beats his opposite winger to score in the corner! What a well-weighted kick from Honeti!

 

Try scored by Schulte. Conversion unsuccessful by Kelly.

Wenty lead 4-0

16min gone

 

Tuha receives the kickoff for Wenty before using Alvaro for the return. O’Brien is up next before Kelepi looks to get involved but comes up with his second mistake of the game. Got jammed by a good tackle this time around but none the less, pressure swings right back round on Wenty.

 

Wenty needed to come up with a big play and they do as a great jamming tackle on the #11 jolts the ball loose. Tuha cleans it up and has a nice carry, showing good leg drive. The Magpies roll it upfield and look to slow the pace down by finding touch 10m out but Cornish’s kick is just too heavy and rolls dead 1m behind the corner post.

 

Another error in this slightly sloppy start to the game, Newcastle the culprits this time. They compound the issue when they concede a penalty just inside their half so Wenty go right back on the attack. O’Brien and Alvaro get first runs, the Polar Bear goes agonisingly close to scoring but it just short.

 

Cornish wants a fast shift down the left on the third tackle and uses Kelepi as a decoy while hitting Morgs on a crash line. Morgan would have gone close to scoring there but he can’t hold onto the short ball! Missed chance perhaps.

 

Solid defensive set from Wenty and the Knights continue to shoot themselves in the foot as they make an error in the play the ball on fifth tackle.

 

The Magpies roll it into the red zone before going back to their right-edge to give Faraimo another shot at the goal line but the Knights get numbers into the tackle and hold him out. Kelly rolls it along the ground towards the posts but the Knights swoop in and clean it up.

 

Both teams then make errors in the next two sets, Newcastle first then Wenty, which gives the visitors a chance to attack our goal line. The Magpies defend well right up until the last, holding out several crash balls near the posts before a shocking kick is easily defused in goals by Faraimo for a seven tackle set.

 

Morgan and Schulte have good early carries with Schulte getting a penalty as the ball is reefed out of his arms.

 

O’Brien is still on and charging at the line, 28min for the big man to date. Kassis gets a carry before we play it out behind to our left edge. Tuha chimes in looking to create the overlap but is jammed on nicely to shut down the play. Kelepi gets a run down the left and Kelly then marshals play to our right. Toutai gets early ball and tries to step back against the sliding defence but he is tackled before the line. Bureta jumps into dummy half and powers his way over the line, rolling OVER the tacklers to score!

 

Try scored by Faraimo. Conversion unsuccessful by Kelly.

Wenty lead 8-0

30min gone

 

Alvaro, Nelson and Kassis truck it up for the home team. Nic Kassis draws a penalty from the ref as he his held down for an exceedingly long time. Another big chance for Wenty. O’Brien is the option from the tap restart, two passes back infield. Alvaro and then Nelson gets runs before it looks like Kelly has put Faraimo over with a great bullet pass but the ref has called it back! Dang. Line ball call though.

 

Wenty now the ones to draw the ire of the ref after failing to make the onside mark. Newcastle find touch 15m short of halfway.

 

Great jamming tackle from Faraimo there! Newcastle had the overlap and he baited the inside runner Feeney to hold onto the ball and then pummeled him.

 

The Knights look to go from edge-to-edge on our goal line a few tackles later as they raid our left-edge. They don’t really have the overlap but try to force a pass and it ends up on the ground. Schulte is first to the loose ball and he scoops it off and sets off down field! He gets clear of the first wave of cover defenders and pins his ears back for the line! Two more defenders come at him from behind but he high-steps his way through their attempted tackles and goes 90m to score!

 

Try scored by Schulte. Conversion successful by Cornish.

Wenty lead 14-0

36min gone

 

Wenty rumble through the Knights up until the fourth tackle when Nelson loses the ball in a jarring tackle. Newcastle will get a chance to get on the board late in the half as a result.

 

They work the ball down our right-edge and catch us napping from dummy half as their #9 jumps out of the ruck and races to the line. Tuha pulls off a deadset blinder of a tackle though to hold him up!

 

They come back out for their last tackle play and kick the ball in behind Faraimo who shadows the ball perfectly to secure Wenty a 20m restart.

 

The Magpies fail to get to their kick once more but at least this time it is 20m into the Knights’ half when an offload from O’Brien is deemed forwards. No complaints from the Wenty boys there either.

 

Sloppy ball play from the Knights as the ball hits the deck but the manage to clean it up and settle their set with some scoots from dummy half. Great hustle from Toutai and Faraimo there as they race after a loose pass and absolutely belt the Knight that cleans the ball up! Brutal shot. The Knights get one last play before half time and it is a blocked kick that goes no where.

 

Half Time

Wentworthville Magpies 14 LEAD Newcastle Knights 0

 

Second  Half

 

Simple start to the half for both teams as they complete sets. There is a brief stoppage of play for an knock to O’Brien and two tackles later Nic Kassis jumps on an errant pass from the Knights. Alvaro and O’Brien carry the ball strongly before some second phase ball sees Alvaro chalk up a second run. Cornish takes play down the left and uses Tanginoa on an overs line. Kelepi is tackled around the ankles which brings up the last. Cornish runs it down the left shortside but juggles the ball and loses it.

 

Newcastle open up their arms a bit around the middle but Wenty defend the second phase ball pretty well. They bomb Tuha on the last but he remains faultless under the high ball. Alvaro gets cleaned up high late in the tackle count as Wenty ruck the ball deep into Newcastle’s half and a penalty comes about as a result.

 

Another run for O’Brien and he flicks the ball out expertly for a quality offload. It comes to Alvaro who runs back towards the posts but on the next tackle Wenty cough the ball up again as the Knights dive on a backwards fumble from Cornish.

 

Messy set from the Knights in reply as they claw their way to their kick, which is equally sloppy and is a botched effort that Tuha cleans up.

 

Alvaro finally gets subbed off, to the cheers of the home crowd. Huge opening stint. O’Brien is still also comes off. Titanic effort from our starting bookends.

 

Back to the footy – Wenty complete their set with a grubber from Cornish that is cleaned up by Feeney. The Knights kick early looking for a 40/20 but Tuha races back to give the kick no chance. Kelly spins the ball early to Toutai down the right and he bursts through the initial tackle attempt and looks to flick the ball around the corner to Faraimo but Bureta just over runs that and it rolls into touch. Faraimo would have taken some stopping if the pass connected.

 

Great tackle from Schulte there to save a try his in his corner. Had his man getting dragged into touch but he forces a poor pass which results in a knock-on so the result is a wash.

 

Wenty run the ball a few times before looking to kick early themselves and an energetic kick chase pins the Knights inside the own 10m zone. The Knights respond by slowing the tempo of the game down, rucking it out and finding touch 10m out from Wenty’s goal line.

 

Really good carry from Morgan from the scrum win as he makes a half break but Wenty keep turning the screws on themselves as they make yet another mistake – this one a forward pass from dummy half.

 

Morgan is the man again as he comes up with the big play in defence. Jammed hard on a short ball and popped the ball loose. Tuha scoops it up and makes 10m before he is tackled and a penalty follows for holding down in the ruck.

 

My oh my, another error! Hasson is the guilty party this time. Just loses the ball as he tries to extricate himself from his tacklers.

 

Fortunately Newcastle don’t really threaten us in attack as we comfortably hold the out to their kick, which Scott Schulte defuses comfortably. Unfortunately we make ANOTHER mistake working it out off our line.  Joey Grima would not be impressed with the error rate.

 

The sheer weight of possession and territory continually gifted to the Knights finally takes its toll. Wenty defend strongly through the first five tackles but on the last the Knights roll it in behind our left-edge and their kick chase want it just a bit more than our tired defence as they nab the rolling pill and score.

 

Try scored by the Knights. Conversion successful.

Newcastle trail 6-14

61min gone

 

O’Brien comes back on for Tanginoa.

 

The momentum builds for the Knights as the Magpies are pinged for a high shot early into the kickoff set.

 

Lots of ruck play for the Knights this set. They look for a quick shift down their left-edge with Feeney chiming in from the back. Wenty repel the raid but are slow to recover the defensive shape and are vulnerable to a burrow over attempt from dummy half which sees the Knights make it two quick strikes in a row.

 

Try to Newcastle. Conversion unsuccessful.

Newcastle trail 10-14

65min gone

 

Errors have kept the Knights in this. Wenty need to lift the discipline.

 

Shortish kickoff from Wenty here. Odd result. Newcastle field it easily and set about rucking it into our half. Plenty of wind in their sails. Still, Wenty lift their own intensity and force the Knights to a stab kick that Tuha cleans up.

 

Not many metres coming for Wenty in return though. O’Brien and Alvaro try their best but the Knights are pushing up fast with the surge of energy they are riding. Kelly tries to slow the tempo of the game down by driving the ball into touch but he can only get it out at the 30m mark for the Knights.

 

The big break comes for the Magpies at the end of the following Newcastle set. Feeney swoops in from the back on the last and chips it in behind near our goal line. Tuha cleans it up just inside the field of play and there is an obvious second effort to try and get him back in-goals. Much needed pressure reliever.

 

Even with the aid of the penalty Wenty still struggle to get out of their half and Kelly has to send up a long range bomb that is taken without any pressure from the kick chase.

 

Bureta Faraimo! Terrific read and absolutely huge defensive play as he jams in and forces the ball out in an aggressive shot. Wenty will get a scrum on their 30m line as a result.

 

Morgan, Schulte and Hasson get in to help the team early on. Alvaro plays out the back to Kelly who in turn uses Nelson to bring up the last. Kelly sends another bomb up on the last but the kick chase is miles better this time and the Knights get trapped in their red zone for the first time in forever.

 

Now it is the Knights who are congested in attack and although Wenty look to be winning the battle in this set they rifle off a 40/20! Geez, talk about swings in the game.

 

And the Knights will ride that momentum to another try. They kick early in the set, seeing Wenty push up and showing obvious fatigue and their chase is from a runner that knew the play was on so he is the only player within metres of the ball to score.

 

Try scored by the Knights. Conversion successful.

Newcastle lead 16-14

74min gone

 

Long kickoff from Cornish, Went will back themselves to win the ruck here. Good start to the set defensively as Cook and O’Brien dominate a ball runner. The pressure is undone when a half break comes on the second last tackle and the Knights manage to get a decent kick away. Gee that one hurts as Wenty were owning that set.

 

The kick finds touch 25m out from Wenty’s goal line and the home team will have four and a half minutes to win this game. Toutai and Faraimo have earnest runs down the right before Kelly turns Alvaro into the defensive line. Kelepi nearly pokes his at through the line. Cornish runs it on the next play and links up with Kelly who in turn gets Nelson into a half gap but the Knights scramble to bring him down short of the line. We roll it in behind on the last as Kelly passes to Cornish first but Feeney is perfectly positioned for it. Not the right option there. Should have bombed it or run it I feel.

 

Still, there is time for one more set.

 

Oooh, misplay from Tuha there as he lets the ball scoot past him from the Newcastle kick. He races back to field it but loses a good 10m as a result.

 

Alvaro has a good carry early in the set but on the following play a loose pass from Kelly forces Faraimo to toe the ball back into the field and it is dived upon by the Knights. Sums up the half really.

 

And ooof, maybe THIS play sums the half up better as the Knights go in on yet another grubber kick. This one was an odd one, shallow in the field of play but the Knights raced up to get it and then dive over between two defenders. Really poor second half from Wenty and I imagine they might cop a verbal flaying from coach Grima.

 

Try scored by the Knights. Conversion successful.

 

Full Time

Newcastle Knights 22 DEF Wentworthville Magpies 14