Knights finish regular season with classy win over the Dragons
The nib Newcastle Knights NRLW side have defeated the St George Illawarra Dragons 30-8 on Sunday afternoon at Central Coast Stadium.
The game completes the regular season for the team with the side finishing in second position with a dominant six tries to two victory.
Already assured of a finals finish, the team put in an impressive showing against the outfit they will face in the Semi-Final next weekend.
The match kicked off as the last game in a Triple Header on the Central Coast.
A few errors proved costly for the Knights in the opening stages and the Dragons pounced first through Taliah Fuimaono five minutes into the game.
The Knights wrestled back momentum and Olivia Higgins provided the quick reply getting the Knights on the board 10 minutes later.
Higgins dips in
The dummy-half made the most of a quick play the ball and burrowed over close to the line.
Both teams were even on the table heading into the match and the game mirrored the ladder as the stats read even across the board in the first period.
St George Illawarra were next to score through Teagen Berry to regain the lead while only five minutes later, the scores were level.
Kiana Takairangi was too strong near the line to post her first try in Knights colours.
Takairangi takes everyone on
And with two minutes to play in the first half, the Knights hit the front with Jess Gentle scoring a memorable try on debut.
Jesse Southwell floated a long cut out pass to the wing from dummy half and Gentle stepped her way over to put the Knights in the lead.
Gentle scores on debut
Newcastle started the second half with the same intent and points again soon followed.
Brilliant play down the left found a flying Emmanita Paki and the winger raced to the stripe for the Knights fourth of the afternoon.
Paki sets sail for the line
The Knights were in full control and had the majority of the field position in the second stage.
Emma Manzelmann provided her spark off the bench and scored our fifth of the afternoon to all but wrap up the result.
And with four minutes to play, forward Makenzie Weale also scored her first NRLW try powering her way over to put the icing on the cake.
Weale scores
The Knights NRLW side will now head into their first finals series and will take on their Round 5 opponent for a spot in the Grand Final.
