CANBERRA RAIDERS 24 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 30
TOM SMITH, GIO Stadium, Sunday

RAMPANT Dom Young scored twice to ensure Tyson Frizell celebrated his 300th NRL appearance with a Newcastle victory over Canberra.

With Corey Horsburgh in the sin bin for slapping Dane Gagai, Young overpowered three Raiders defenders in the 79th minute to extinguish the Green Machine’s faint finals hopes in Baltic conditions in the Australian capital.

With stars Dylan Lucas (ankle) and Dylan Brown (ACL) out for the season and Bradman Best (calf) withdrawn late, the gutsy Knights fought back from six points down in the second half to shore up their place in the top eight.

Outstanding second-rower Francis Manuleleua set up Fletcher Sharpe’s opener inside three minutes, before Young spun into the right corner on the end of a Kalyn Ponga pass.

But Jed Stuart intercepted a Ponga ball to race 70 metres for Canberra’s reply and Zac Hosking made it two.

Ponga linked up with Young for a brilliant long-range try, but Kaeo Weekes assisted Simi Sasagi to make it 18-all at the break.

Sasagi struck again after the restart, and Ethan Sanders’ penalty-goal from a lifting Gagai tackle on Horsburgh gave the hosts a six-point buffer.

But another Young line break led to a Gagai try and Joseph Tapine’s high tackle on Sharpe gifted Sandon Smith a penalty-goal that put Newcastle on top.

Then after Horsburgh’s ill-discipline, Young’s second secured a key victory in their bid to clinch a top-eight spot.

RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Jed Stuart, 3 Simi Sasagi, 4 Matthew Timoko, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Ethan Sanders, 8 Corey Horsburgh, 14 Tom Starling, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Zac Hosking, 12 Ata Mariota, 13 Morgan Smithies. Subs: 9 Owen Pattie, 15 Joe Roddy, 16 Josh Papalii, 17 Daine Laurie, 18 Savelio Tamale (not used), 19 Matty Nicholson (not used)

Tries: Stuart (18), Hosking (23), Sasagi (35, 44); Goals: Sanders 4/5; Sin bin: Horsburgh (74) – slapping

KNIGHTS: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Dom Young, 3 Dane Gagai, 18 Fletcher Hunt, 5 Greg Marzhew, 6 Fletcher Sharpe, 7 Sandon Smith, 10 Trey Mooney, 14 Harrison Graham, 15 Cody Hopwood, 11 Jermaine McEwen, 12 Francis Manuleleua, 13 Mat Croker. Subs: 8 Tyson Frizell, 16 Lachlan Crouch, 17 Thomas Cant, 19 Brodie Jones, 20 Toby Winter (not used), 22 Diesel Hagan (not used)

Tries: Sharpe (3), Young (11, 79), Ponga (26), Gagai (58); Goals: Smith 5/6

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 12-12, 12-18, 18-18; 22-18, 24-18, 24-24, 24-26, 24-30

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Simi Sasagi; Knights: Dom Young

Penalty count: 3-6; Half-time: 18-18; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 8,507