Despite falling behind early when Luke Keary found Latrell Mitchell, with the rain pouring down, Newcastle created chances when Kalyn Ponga broke up the middle only to throw the ball to ground with Lachlan Fitzgibbon looming. Tautau Moga also broke, this time down the left, but threw the ball into touch.
They were made to pay when a Cooper Cronk kick found Jared Waerea-Hargreaves who dived over next to the posts to give the Roosters a 12-2 lead.
A Mitchell Pearce grubber did get Newcastle back into the contest when it was taken by Aidan Guerra who spun to plant the ball down.
It wasn’t to last long, however, as Luke Keary dummied at the line and managed to get to the in-goal to score to extend the lead out to 18-8.
Keary was in the thick of the action once more as a Cronk chip found the halfback. Keary then flicked the ball spectacularly to Victor Radley who strolled in before half-time.
From a poor Ponga pass with the Knights pressing, Joseph Manu streaked away and found Blake Ferguson in support who dived over next to the posts to all but seal the game.
Cronk scooped up his own kick to extend the lead out to 34-8 and then found Ferguson with a pinpoint kick for another try.
Roosters: Tedesco, Robinson, Mitchell, Manu, Ferguson, Keary, Cronk, Taukeiaho, Friend, Napa, Cordner, Matterson, Liu; Interchanges: Waerea-Hargreaves, Tetevano, Aubusson, Radley
Tries: Mitchell, Waerea-Hargreaves, Keary, Radley, Ferguson 2
Goals: Mitchell
Knights: Ponga, Kenny-Dowall, Mata’utia, Moga, Ross, Watson, Pearce, Ese’ese, Griffin, Lillyman, Fitzgibbon, Guerra, Barnett; Interchanges: Lamb, Buhrer, Daniel Saifiti, Jacob Saifiti
Tries: Guerra
Goals: Ponga
Full reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
