NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 15 NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 20
TOM SMITH, McDonald Jones Stadium, Sunday
LEKA HALASIMA scored a miracle try on the full-time siren to snatch victory for the Warriors over the Knights in a thrilling finish for the ages.
Newcastle led the see-sawing arm wrestle 15-14 as the seconds ticked down, when New Zealand halfback Tanah Boyd lined up a shot at a two-point field-goal.
The ball was charged down into the arms of the barnstorming Halasima, who galloped 45 metres past a string of beaten tacklers to steal a vital away win for the top-four team.
Adam Pompey grounded a Boyd grubber kick for the first points, but Newcastle soon scored three times in ten minutes before the break.
Fletcher Hunt scooped up a mishandled Jackson Hastings bomb, a Bradman Best bust eventually led to Dane Gagai’s four-pointer and Greg Marzhew found the left corner to put the Knights up by six at the break.
Demitric Vaimauga crashed through for the visitors before Gagai and Boyd traded penalty-goals to square things 14-all.
Jack Cogger’s 75th-minute drop-goal from long range gave Newcastle a slender advantage at the death.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Boyd missed a shot at two-point field-goal, although a successful captain’s challenge earned a penalty, which Boyd also missed.
But when his next field-goal attempt was charged down, Halasima spied an opportunity to claim an all-time match-winner.
KNIGHTS: 1 Dane Gagai, 2 Dom Young, 3 Fletcher Hunt, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Greg Marzhew, 6 Jackson Hastings, 7 Jack Cogger, 8 Jacob Saifiti, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Leo Thompson, 12 Kai Pearce-Paul, 17 Jermaine McEwen, 13 Phoenix Crossland. Subs (all used): 14 Tyson Gamble, 15 Mat Croker, 16 Tyson Frizell, 18 Thomas Cant
Tries: Hunt (22), Gagai (26), Marzhew (31); Goals: Gagai 1/2, Hastings 0/2; Field-goals: Cogger (75)
WARRIORS: 1 Taine Tuaupiki, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Adam Pompey, 4 Kurt Capewell, 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Tanah Boyd, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Jackson Ford, 11 Leka Halasima, 12 Marata Niukore, 13 Erin Clark. Subs (all used): 14 Te Maire Martin, 15 Jacob Laban, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Tanner Stowers-Smith
Tries: Pompey (8), Vaimauga (50), Halasima (80); Goals: Boyd 4/5
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 8-6, 12-6; 12-12, 14-12, 14-14, 15-14, 15-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Dane Gagai; Warriors: Leka Halasima
Penalty count: 6-7; Half-time: 12-6; Referee: Grant Atkins; Attendance: 21,117