ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 20 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 6
CALLUM WALKER, Jubilee Stadium, Friday
IT was hardly a classic, but St George inflicted a damning defeat on Newcastle as pressure on head coach Adam O’Brien continues to mount.
The Knights have now won just four games in 2025 and with captain Kalyn Ponga rested following a tough State of Origin period, O’Brien’s men were up against it from the start.
In fact, Newcastle never looked like causing the Dragons any kind of problems as the hosts ran into an 18-0 lead with the Knights on the receiving end of a 9-5 penalty count.
It took the Dragons 20 minutes to register the first points of the evening, Jaydn Su’a taking a perfectly-timed Kyle Flanagan pass, before Clint Gutherson supported the onrushing Jack De Belin to double St George’s lead moments later.
The first-half onslaught was complete when Loko Pasifiki Tonga charged over for his first NRL try moments before half-time, while Valentine Holmes’ penalty on the hour made it 20-0 and sent the Dragons out of sight.
The Knights did ensure they wouldn’t be nilled with Kai Pearce-Paul taking a lovely Leo Thompson pass, but the night belonged to Shane Flanagan’s men.
DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Tyrell Sloan, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Valentine Holmes, 21 Nathan Lawson, 6 Lyhkan King-Togia, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 10 David Klemmer, 9 Damien Cook, 17 Blake Lawrie, 12 Jaydn Su’a, 15 Toby Couchman, 13 Hamish Stewart, Subs (all used): 8 Jack De Belin, 11 Luciano Leilua, 14 Jacob Liddle, 16 Loko Pasifiki Tonga
Tries: Su’a (21), Gutherson (25), Pasifiki Tonga (37); Goals: Holmes 4/4
KNIGHTS: 6 Fletcher Sharpe, 2 James Schiller, 3 Dane Gagai, 4 Kyle McCarthy, 5 Fletcher Hunt, 18 Jack Cogger, 7 Tyson Gamble, 8 Tyson Frizell, 9 Phoenix Crossland, 10 Leo Thompson, 11 Dylan Lucas, 12 Kai Pearce-Paul, 13 Mat Croker. Subs (all used): 14 Jayden Brailey, 15 Jack Hetherington, 16 Brodie Jones, 17 Thomas Cant
Tries: Pearce-Paul (70); Goals: Gagai 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0; 20-0, 20-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Damien Cook; Knights: Kai Pearce-Paul
Penalty count: 9-5; Half-time: 18-0; Referee: Grant Atkins; Attendance: 10,411
