The Sea Eagles and the Knights have played out a thrilling golden point draw after scoring six tries each including four to Dominic Young in their clash at Glen Willow Stadium.
Both sides scored six tries each and scores were locked up after 80 minutes, with Daly Cherry-Evans and Jackson Hastings missing five field goals between them in golden point.
“Early on I just didn’t feel like I got a clear kick into the wind so we just played the long game,” Cherry-Evans said, explaining the decision not to go for the field goal early in golden point.
“That second half of golden point we got two opportunities … naturally I was pretty disappointed I didn’t get to ice one of those moments. They’re moments I love to be involved in but today wasn’t my day.”
The Sea Eagles scored six tries to Haumole Olakau’atu, Christian Tuipulotu, Brad Parker, Kelma Tuilagi, Kaeo Weekes and Reuben Garrick, while the Knights had six of their own tries to Greg Marzhew, Jack Johns and four to Dominic Young.
Manly boom backrower Haumole Olakau’atu scored a stunning first try of the afternoon, breaking through the Knights line from halfway.
In bizarre scenes, Newcastle fullback Lachie Miller clearly got his positioning wrong allowing the gun forward to ground the ball as he watched on confused.
Fox League’s Michael Ennis explained it looked like Miller thought the tryline was in fact behind him.
“He just stood there and waited and he can’t believe his luck, incredible stuff there from Miller,” Ennis said.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that, he just has to have thought the dead ball line was the tryline.”
Moments later winger Christian Tuipulotu scored in the right corner to extend his side’s lead.
Christian Tuipulotu dived over to extend the Manly lead as the Sea Eagles threatened to run away with it, before the Knights mounted an unlikely comeback.
Haumole Olakau’atu was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul on Leo Thompson, pulling him back while attempting to chase down a grubber.
Moments later Greg Marzhew scored in the left corner, targeting the vacant hole to score their first points.
Jack Johns was the next to cross, flying onto a Daniel Saifiti short ball to score under the posts against his brother Cooper.
Fitzgibbon then left the field for a high tackle that was deemed to have force to the head, while Olakau’atu returned.
Recalled Knights winger Young dived over in the corner to give the Knights their first lead of the afternoon.
Brad Parker barged through and over to lock up the scores at 16 a piece.
Young crossed for his double and the seventh try of the first half to give the Knights a slender lead.
Young brought up his hat-trick after a brilliant long-range effort that started and finished with the English winger.
Trbojevic assisted Kelma Tuilagi for Manly’s fourth try to set up a huge finish.
Young gun Kaeo Weekes barged over from close range to lock up the scores at 28-28 with 12 minutes to play.
Garrick produced a brilliant finish in the corner to give Manly the lead heading into the final 10.
Bradman Best looked to have crashed over to lock up the scores with five to play, but the Bunker took it off him due to a contentious bobble before the put-down.
Olakau’atu gave away a crucial penalty allowing Young to score his fourth and force golden point after Lachlan Miller missed the conversion that would have won the game.
The game went to golden point with no field goals attempted in the first five added minutes.
Jackson Hastings had two field goals charged down and Daly Cherry-Evans missed two field goal attempts in the second period of golden point.
Hastings had one last long-range effort on the siren that just sailed wide and the teams had to share the points for the first time in the NRL since Round 3 of 2020 after a pulsating 90 minutes.
“What a game of rugby league,” Ennis said.
BIG HITS
HASTINGS SHOWS KNIGHTS WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN MISSING
Of all the Knights’ signings in recent years, Jackson Hastings could prove to be the most important after he showed just how much Newcastle have missed a quality halfback since Mitchell Pearce left.
He may not have nailed the golden point field goal to steal the win, but Hastings was in everything to claw the Knights back from 10-0 down and 32-28 down late to give his side a chance to win.
Michael Ennis believes Hastings was the reason the Knights came back in the first half after having their backs to the wall.
“Really smart play form Jackson Hastings as soon as Olakau’atu was sent to the sin bin he went straight to the left hand side where he defends and came back to the middle and another shot down Newcastle’s left and Marzhew came up with the try,” Ennis said.
“Then out on the right hand side some of his skill with Lachlan Miller was as good as you will see.
“He set up one try for Dominic Young where Miller was able to tap and bat the ball on.
“Then his second one he set up for Young was outstanding where he recognised that Garrick and that left edge of Manly had clocked off for a second. He came straight of his left foot and went back down that short side and caught them napping.
“He had a great game and his kicking game was faultless too.”
Hastings finished with 39 run metres, five linebreak assists and two try assists in an excellent display for the Knights.
TRBOJEVIC BROTHERS SHINE DESPITE SLOPPY MANLY DISPLAY
Anthony Seibold wouldn’t be happy his side let in six tries against the Knights, but the Trbojevic brothers nearly pulled them out of the fire on their own.
Jake Trbojevic was a warrior in the middle with 102 run metres and 43 tackles in a typically tireless display.
Meanwhile, Tom Trbojevic finished with 232 run metres, three tackle busts, two offloads, three linebreak assists and two try assists.
Michael Ennis never had any doubt Manly would come back after finding themselves down 28-16 with Tommy Turbo in the team.
“He has made the difficult look simple at times today,” Ennis said.
“He is doing the yardage work and he is happy to get in there and work hard physically to help the forwards out.
“But they need a stronger kicking game from Cherry-Evans. If he can control field position with his kicking game Tom Trbojevic will run riot.
“He did it easy setting up that try for Brad Parker. He had another moment in the first half where Croker jumped out of dummyhalf and hit him back on the inside. He almost went through there.
“Tom will respond we know that. He loves playing here in Mudgee.”
The rest of the Manly players need to take a leaf out of the Trbojevic brothers’ book if they want to be a serious contender this season.
YOUNG ANSWERS CRTICIS AFTER KNIGHTS RECALL
He may have been recalled due to an injury to Hymel Hunt, but it is clear Dominic Young is too good to be playing reserve grade after his four try display in his return.
His decision to sign with the Roosters for 2024 and beyond had Knights fans questioning his loyalty and may have contributed to him being dropped, but he showed Adam O’Brien he has to be in the team while ever he is at the club.
The 21-year-old Englishman scored a classy four tries, including starting and finishing a long-range stunner and the crucial last try to force golden point.
Young has now scored 24 tries in 30 NRL games for the Knights and five in four matches this season and Newcastle just can’t afford to have a weapon like that on the sidelines, especially with Kalyn Ponga out of the side.
MATCH PREVIEW
The Sea Eagles are looking to get back into the winner’s circle, but will have to do so without star five-eighth Josh Schuster when they take on the Knights in Mudgee.
Schuster has been ruled out due to a minor quad injury, forcing coach Anthony Seibold to call on the very capable Cooper Johns, who filled in for Schuster in Round 1.
That’s not the only change for Manly, with speedy centre Tolu Koula sidelined with a knee injury. Morgan Harper joins the 17 in what will be he first NRL game of the season.
There is some good news though with workhorse hooker Lachlan Croker returning from a shoulder injury.
The Knights have had some big changes too with Kurt Mann out due to a concussion and Jack Johns coming in to replace him.
Hymel Hunt is also out through injury, which has opened the door for Dominic Young to return to first grade after a week in New South Wales Cup.
Manly are coming off their first loss of the season, while Newcastle bagged their second win of the season last week.
TEAMS
Sea Eagles team:1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. Brad Parker 4. Morgan Harper 5. Reuben Garrick 19. Cooper Johns 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Jake Trbojevic 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Kelma Tuilagi 13. Josh Aloiai 14. Kaeo Weekes 15. Ben Trbojevic 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Sean Keppie 21. Karl Lawton
Knights team: 1. Lachlan Miller 5. Greg Marzhew 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 20. Dominic Young 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 13. Jack Johns 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Mathew Croker 17. Brodie Jones 18. Dylan Lucas
