Knights win big over the Sharks in crucial top-eight battle

FULL TIME SCORE: Knights 38-10 Sharks

Can't get to the game? Then this is the place for you.

In 2020, this live blog will be your match centre.  

If you're keen to follow every play blow by blow, as well as get breaking news, squad updates, late mail, or any other crucial match-day information first, then you're in the right place. 

Simply hit refresh to see the latest.

FOLLOW THE ACTION BELOW:

FULL TIME | We take a valuable two points at home! 

80' Right on the buzzer, Lino knocks it over. Knights 38-10. 

79' TRY! KINGY! With the icing on the cake he crosses over from close range. His first-ever try! Knights 36-10

78' The drop out is duffed and doesn't go ten metres. We receive a penalty. 

77' It's our turn for the drop out this time. A good kick from Pearce is forced dead. One last try.

76' A knock by Sharks is taken by Ponga. He slices through but is stopped at the last man! 

75' Tracey's grubber is well-fielded by To'a in our in-goal. Drop out to come. 

74' Cronulla get a penalty. 

73' Sharks bust through our line with Connor Tracey. He tries a chip kick over Ponga but Shibasaki cleans it up. 

73' Lino tries a kick in behind the defence but it's well taken from the winger.

72' Lino knocks it over from in front. Knights 32-10

70' TRY TIME! Ponga is the hat-trick hero! He scored his third for the night just carving through the defence. Knights 30-10

69' Set restart! Yay for us!

69' Sharks try a short kick-off, but it won't catch us out! Tuala takes the catch. 

68' Lino's conversion attempt goes wide. Knights 26-10. 

68' And the NEW-CAS-TLE chant echoes across the ground. Music to our ears.

66' TRY! Fitzy scored! I repeat, FITZY SCORED!!! He's off the nudie! Knights 26-10

65' We receive a set restart on their line. 

65' Another Sharks knock-on from the drop-out!

64' Enari puts in a little grubber kick on last tackle and it's knocked on by Will Kennedy. We'll get another set on the try-line!

63' Another bad tackle by the Sharks from lifting on Klemmer. Penalty to come. 

63' A bad kick is caught in the in-goal by Shibasaki. Seven tackle set to come. 

62' Crossland has been forced from the field due to a concussion. Hopefully it's not too serious. 

61' Lino's bomb lands in the hands of Mann but then things get messy and we lose the ball on the follow-up. 

60' Sharks kick us the ball and Hunt smacks into the defenders on the run back! Oomph!

59' Fitzgibbon goes so close to crossing the line and getting the duck off his back....but he loses the ball. 

59' Crossland IN. Ese'ese OUT. 

58' Sharks challenge the call but they are unsuccessful. 

58' And then they lose the ball. Commentators...I mean bloggers curse? Either way we'll take it. 

57' Sharks begin to lift with 12 men. They start their set strong. 

56' Conversion is good. Knights 22-10.

56' Try to the Sharks. Some lacklustre defending leads to Connor Tracey pushing his way over the line. Knights 22-8.

55' Sharks force a drop-out and they'll receive another set on our line. 

54' Sharks receive a penalty. They're attacking our line. 

54'  CROWD NUMBER | 5,597

53' The action is underway once more as we take on a 12-man side for the rest of the half. 

53' And he's been sent off!!! Townsend is gone for the game!

53' KP looks to take a quick tap after catching it in the in-goal. Referee calls it back and he's then smashed by Chad Townsend with a cheap shoulder charge. Very ugly challenge. 

52' A Lino bomb is taken by the Sharks on their 10m line. They'll start their set from deep too. Back-and-forth second half. 

51' It's an arm-wrestle for possession at the moment. Sharks fighting hard and we're fighting back. Knights start their set 20m out. 

50' A cross-field kick goes over the sideline on the full. To'a unable to bat it back into play.

49' Ponga catches a high bomb and dances his way through the defence making great metres for the side. 

48' Lino's kick looked threatening with a favourable bounce. Sharks end up with it though. Ponga back on the field too.

48' Ponga is still receiving treatment on the sideline for the big tackle earlier on. We're playing with 12 for the time-being. 

47' King & Klemmer come off for Brodie Jones and Jacob Saifiti!

46' It looked dangerous but we escape as Sharks lose the ball out wide near our try-line. Scrum to come 10m out. 

46' We lose the ball after a big challenge on Ponga. Sharks on the offensive.

45' Lino does well to win the ball near the touch-line. 

44' Tough set at the moment. We're pinned back by some solid defence. We kick on our 30m but luckily it's a good kick that gives our forwards time to get down the field.

44' Sharks move into our territory with a good set. Their high kick is taken by Ponga inside his own 10m. 

42' Sharks give us a dangerous kick of their own but Ponga is too good under the high ball. Takes it low. 

42' Pearce puts up a dangerous bomb but it's well defused by the Sharks defence. 

41' Sharks make an error on their first set! We start with the ball just inside our own half.

40' We're back underway here at McDonald Jones Stadium!

HALF-TIME | Watch all of our first half tries below!

HALF-TIME | What a first half here at McDonald Jones Stadium! The boys have looked as good as they have all year, completely dominating almost every facet of play. Lino, Mann and Ponga have stood out. The jobs not done yet though, with a massive second 40 to go!

HALF-TIME | We carry a strong lead into the break!

40' | Now the Sharks lose it! One last chance for the Knights.

40' | Josh King drops the ball, and that should just about get us to half time.

39' | The Sharks fail to do much with the footy, and the Knights will get one last chance.

38' | Pearce overshoots his clearing kick, so the Sharks will now have a seven tackle set.

37' | Cronulla with probably their best set of the game, but another strong Ponga kick return puts the Knights right back on the front foot.

36' | It's no try.

36' | LINOOOOO SCORES!! But we're off to the bunker again. On field call is try.

35' | Lino makes no mistake! Knights 22-4 Sharks

33' | PONGA'S IN AGAIN!!! HOW GOOOOOOD IS THIS! Knights 20-4 Sharks

32' | ERROR! The Sharks again lose the ball five metres out from their line after some big defence from Pearce!

31' | Another good set of defence from the Knights. They are so on top here it's almost not funny.

29' | Mitch Pearce opts to find touch and give his side a spell after a frantic first half an hour. Sharks with a scrum feed 10m out from their line.

28' | The Sharks are pinged for a forward pass. Great defence from the Knights.

26' | Line drop out coming here for Cronulla after Josh Dugan forces Guerra to bat a clever kick dead.

25' | SET RESTART for the Sharks.

24' | A frantic set from Cronulla only sees them collect 40-odd run metres. The Knights are simply dominating.

23' | Another great set after points for the Knights, with the Sharks again forced to work the ball from deep out of their own end.

21' | Lino converts the penalty! Knights 16-4 Sharks

21' | The sin bin is not forthcoming, but a penalty in front of the sticks will see Lino step up to take the two.

21' | A horrible tackle from Toby Rudolf has set off a bru-haha! Crowd is baying for a sin bin.

20' | SET RESTART for the Knights.

19' | Mason Lino takes the kicking reins and gets his first points of the season! Knights 14-4 Sharks

18' | IT'S GREEN LIGHTS!! To'a in for his second! Knights 12-4 Sharks

17' | We're in again! But the Bunker will again intervene, with the decision going up as a try.

16' | ERROR! The Sharks spill it coming out of trouble!! Big chance here!!

16' | Ponga hits the post again! Knights 8-4 Sharks

14' | WE'RE IN AGAIN!!! PONGA MAGIC BABY!!!!!!! Knights 8-4 Sharks

13' | The Sharks struggle to get out of their own end, and the Knights have it on the Sharks 40 on just the second tackle.

13' | A terrific set after points for the Knights, trapping the Sharks in their own 10m zone. The boys have lifted following the try.

12' | Kalyn Ponga hits the post! No good unfortunately. Knights 4-4 Sharks

10' | WE DO HIT BACK!! Starford To'a scores off a bullet pass from Kurt Mann!! Knights 4-4 Sharks

10' | PENALTY KNIGHTS. Full set on the attack here as the Sharks are caught offside.

9' | SET RESTART for the Knights. A chance to hit straight back here!

8' | A solid set after points for the Sharks, however the Knights are already right on the front foot in their opening few tackles.

7' | Brayden Trindall's kick is unsuccessful! Knights 0-4 Sharks.

6' | TRY SHARKS. Ronaldo Mulitalo opens the scoring for Cronulla off a nice backline movement. Knights 0-4 Sharks.

5' | ERROR. Kalyn Ponga spills a Sharks bomb, and Cronulla are right on the attack now.

5' | SET RESTART for the Sharks.

4' | The Knights respond in kind with a good set of six, and follow it up with solid contact in defence.

3' | Solid set from the Sharks there, making 50m.

2' | It's No Try. Almost the perfect start! Cronulla will have the footy 10m out from their own line.

2' | We're In!! Klem is claiming one, but the decision has gone to the bunker as no try.

1' | CRONULLA HAVE KICKED OUT ON THE FULL!!!! Perfect start for the Knights.

0' | We're underway at McDonald Jones! Knights 0-0 Sharks

Friday 5:55pm: We've warmed up! Kick-off not far away!

LATE MAIL | The team lists are in for tonight's massive game against Cronulla!

Tex Hoy and Jirah Momoisea drop off the extended bench, with the rest of the team 1-17.

KNIGHTS: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Starford To'a, 3. Enari Tuala, 4. Gehamat Shibasaki, 5. Hymel Hunt, 6. Mason Lino, 7. Mitchell Pearce (c), 8. David Klemmer, 9. Kurt Mann, 10. Jacob Saifiti, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12. Aidan Guerra, 13. Mitch Barnett. Interchange: 14. Phoenix Crossland, 15. Herman Ese'ese, 16. Josh King, 17. Brodie Jones

The Sharks have made a shuffle to their squad with Scott Sorensen moving into the starting line-up.

1. William Kennedy, 19. Bryson Goodwin, 3. Josh Dugan, 4. Jesse Ramien, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Aaron Woods, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Wade Graham, 15. Scott Sorensen. Interchange: 13. Toby Rudolf, 14. Connor Tracey, 16 Siosifa Talakai, 17. Royce Hunt.

Friday 4:20pm: The boys are here!

Friday 3:15pm: We've arrived. 12/10 keen for this one!

Friday 12:00pm: GAME DAY | Our biggest game of the year is just hours away. Let's do this!

Thursday 6:00pm: Adam O'Brien has trimmed the team list 24 hours out from our clash with Cronulla.

Tautau Moga and Chris Randall will come out of the side this week, leaving Tex Hoy and Jirah Momoisea on the extended bench.

Both teams will be finalised one hour prior to kick off tomorrow night.

KNIGHTS: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Starford To'a, 3. Enari Tuala, 4. Gehamat Shibasaki, 5. Hymel Hunt, 6. Mason Lino, 7. Mitchell Pearce (c), 8. David Klemmer, 9. Kurt Mann, 10. Jacob Saifiti, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12. Aidan Guerra, 13. Mitch Barnett. Interchange: 14. Phoenix Crossland, 15. Herman Ese'ese, 16. Josh King, 17. Brodie Jones, 18. Tex Hoy, 19. Jirah Momoisea

SHARKS: 1. William Kennedy, 19. Bryson Goodwin, 3. Josh Dugan, 4. Jesse Ramien, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Aaron Woods, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Wade Graham, 13. Toby Rudolf. Interchange: 14. Connor Tracey, 15. Scott Sorensen, 16 Siosifa Talakai, 17. Royce Hunt, 18. Jack Williams, 20. Teig Winton

Thursday 6:00pm: Adam O'Brien has his say ahead of our clash with the Sharks:

Thursday 1:20pm: All the stats that matter ahead of tomorrow night:

Thursday 1:20pm: Nobody enjoyed losing the way we did last weekend, so the boys have been ripping in on the paddock in an effort to make amends tomorrow night. View the gallery below or click here if you're on the app!

Thursday 1:20pm: Adam O'Brien and John Morris named their 21-man squads on Tuesday afternoon, and they will line up like this come tomorrow night:

KNIGHTS: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Starford To'a, 3. Enari Tuala, 4. Gehamat Shibasaki, 5. Hymel Hunt, 6. Mason Lino, 7. Mitchell Pearce (c), 8. David Klemmer, 9. Kurt Mann, 10. Jacob Saifiti, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12. Aidan Guerra, 13. Mitch Barnett. Interchange: 14. Phoenix Crossland, 15. Herman Ese'ese, 16. Josh King, 17. Brodie Jones, 18. Tex Hoy, 19. Jirah Momoisea, 20. Tautau Moga, 21. Chris Randall. 

SHARKS: 1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Josh Dugan, 4. Jesse Ramien, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Aaron Woods, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Wade Graham, 13. Toby Rudolf. Interchange: 14. Connor Tracey, 15. Scott Sorensen, 16 Siosifa Talakai, 17. Royce Hunt, 18. Jack Williams, 19. Bryson Goodwin, 20. Teig Winton, 21. Andrew Fifita.

Thursday 1:20pm: Welcome to our official Game-Day Blog for our Round 17 Friday Night Football clash with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at McDonald Jones Stadium. Check back here for all the latest both today and on game-day, including live scores, blow by blow updates, breaking news, squad reduction, late mail, behind the scenes clips, photos and more.