DOLPHINS 20 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 26
TOM SMITH, HBF Park, Perth, Saturday
BRODIE JONES snatched Newcastle’s last-gasp victory over the Dolphins in rainy Perth.
Bradman Best dominated on his return from a hamstring complaint, and his second try off Kalyn Ponga’s boot squared things up at 20-all with a quarter of an hour to play.
Best’s brilliant offload then gave unheralded bench forward Jones a rare chance to steal the spotlight, lunging over the line with just 60 seconds on the clock.
Just a week after claiming four tries in the Phins’ 58-4 destruction of the Cowboys, Jack Bostock went down with a suspected ACL midway through the first half, compounding a dirty trip west for the Queensland club.
The eyes of Australian Rugby League have been locked on Western Australia in recent weeks, with the announcement of the Perth Bears franchise to enter the NRL in 2027, and Origin Two lighting up Optus Stadium on Wednesday night.
And after selling out HBF Park against the Roosters last August, the Dolphins returned for another Perth ‘home’ game here.
The Queenslanders might have triumphed on Wednesday night … but the New South Welshmen prevailed here.
Maroons speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow strengthened Kristian Woolf’s line-up, which racked up a dizzying 158 points in thumping wins over the Bulldogs, Dragons and Cowboys over the last month.
Felise Kaufusi’s suspension handed 21-year-old starlet Isaiya Katoa the captaincy for the first time, while Aublix Tawha made his first-grade bow off the bench.
On Adam O’Brien’s team sheet, a string of stars returned in a bid to snap their inconsistent win-loss sequence.
Fullback Ponga backed up from Origin with an outstanding display, winger Dom Young returned to a blue-and-red jumper just a week after tackling them in a Roosters jersey, and stars Best (hamstring), Fletcher Sharpe (calf) and Tyson Frizell (concussion) all regained fitness.
Sharpe regathered a Jack Cogger bomb which Tabuai-Fidow failed to handle to register the opening points.
The Phins turned on the razzle dazzle for their reply, sending it through umpteen pairs of hands to release Kodi Nikorima.
Best first hit the scoreboard courtesy of Kalyn Ponga’s deft grubber.
And things looked even brighter for the Novocastrians when Young marked his return by strolling over in the right corner.
Bostock’s injury brought Connelly Lemuelu into the fray, and the substitute soon scored from close range to keep the Redcliffe club in the hunt at the break.
The momentum had truly swung when Gagai cynically took out Herbie Farnworth while Jake Averillo galloped down the sideline.
The Dolphins capitalised on the one-man advantage twice: first through Jamayne Isaako in the right corner, then a stunning length-of-the-field move originating with Farnworth and ending with Tabuai-Fidow.
But with their full complement back on the park, Best bagged his second in identical fashion to his first, locking things up 20-all.
Grant Atkins denied Jayden Brailey what would have been an epic winner because of James Schiller’s forward pass.
But Jones reached the line at the death to become the hero.
GAMESTAR: Bradman Best bounced back from a hamstring injury in style, grabbing two tries and setting up the match-winning try.
GAMEBREAKER: Brodie Jones doesn’t often command the limelight, but the interchange forward snared the Knights’ 11th-hour winner.
MATCHFACTS
DOLPHINS
1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Jake Averillo
4 Herbie Farnworth
5 Jack Bostock
6 Kodi Nikorima
7 Isaiya Katoa
8 Francis Molo
9 Jeremy Marshall-King
16 Ray Stone
11 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
12 Oryn Keeley
13 Kurt Donoghoe
Subs (all used)
10 Mark Nicholls
14 Harrison Graham
15 Connelly Lemuelu
20 Aublix Tawha
Tries: Nikorima (11), Lemuelu (32), Isaako (54), Tabuai-Fidow (60)
Goals: Isaako 2/4
KNIGHTS
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Dom Young
3 Dane Gagai
4 Bradman Best
18 James Schiller
6 Fletcher Sharpe
7 Jack Cogger
8 Tyson Frizell
9 Jayden Brailey
10 Mat Croker
11 Dylan Lucas
12 Kai Pearce-Paul
13 Phoenix Crossland
Subs (all used)
14 Brodie Jones
15 Thomas Cant
16 Jermaine McEwen
17 Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
Tries: Sharpe (5), Best (19, 64), Young (25), Jones (79)
Goals: Gagai 3/5
Sin bin: Gagai (51) – professional foul
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 4-12, 4-16, 10-16; 14-16, 20-16, 20-20, 20-26
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dolphins: Herbie Farnworth; Knights: Bradman Best
Penalty count: 6-2
Half-time: 10-16
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 10,077