Knights impress in big Roosters win

Newcastle Knights produced an excellent 38-12 win over Sydney Roosters to make it five wins on the bounce.

The Knights scored the first try on eight minutes when Luke Keary’s pass was intercepted by Hymel Hunt. Keary would leave the field after smacking his head on the floor in the tackle.

Kalyn Ponga kicked two early penalties to make the score 10-0 but James Tedesco stole a try from a quick tap which got the Roosters back into the game. Newcastle pulled away again, however, when Ponga had too much speed and strength for the Sydney defence, scoring one himself and setting another up for Mitchell Pearce.

The Knights kept their momentum after the break and crossed through an excellent individual try by Connor Watson.

Two more penalties, one for Ponga and the second for Mitchell Barnett, after Ponga had left the field after a late tackle by Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Pearce set up Edrick Lee as the Knights continued to pull away.

Sio Siua Taukeiaho’s try was a consolation late on.

Knights: Ponga, Lee, Hunt, Ramien, Kenny-Dowall, Mann, Pearce, Klemmer, Lei, Saifiti, Fitzgibbon, Barnett, Glasby; Interchanges: Watson, Ese’ese, Gavet, Mata’utia
Tries: Hunt, Ponga, Pearce, Watson, Lee; Goals: Ponga 7, Barnett 2
Sin bin: Klemmer (80) – professional foul

Roosters: Tedesco, Tupou, Aubusson, Manu, Ikuvalu, Mitchell, Keary, Waerea-Hargreaves, Radley, Taukeiaho, Cordner, Crichton, Liu; Interchanges: Butcher, Tupouniua, Collins, Lamb
Tries: Tedesco, Taukeiaho; Goals: Mitchell 2

Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.