Knights v Tigers: Scrum win against the feed ensures Newcastle victory in scrappy contest

A LATE scrum win against the feed has ensured victory for the Knights as they survived some hairy moments in a tense win over the Tigers.

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 17: Joey Leilua of the Knights is tackled by the Tigers defence during the round 10 NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the Wests Tigers at Hunter Stadium on May 17, 2015 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

A RELIEVED Rick Stone didn’t care how it came.

After five straight defeats, he was just desperately searching for a reaction from his players.

So the Knights coach made Sunday’s game against the Wests Tigers about the fans.

“We talked about the average fan coming in and paying his $200 to be a season ticket holder and what would he expect today,” Stone said.

“He would expect some real desperation and some vitality and some energy out of the boys.

“Hopefully, that’s what we gave today even though clinically everything wasn’t perfect.’’

Perfect no, but his side got the job done.

“I was just happy to get two points,” Stone said.

“After five losses in a row, I suppose you probably nearly start to think you forget how to win but there were some good positive signs there tonight.”

It took a try from rookie hooker Chad Redman on debut three minutes from time to get the Knights home.

It ended an enthralling contest that had its share of controversial tries and a crucial scrum win against the feed that denied the Tigers a late shot at victory when they trailed 16-12 close the the Knights’ line.

James McManus grounds the ball for an early try against the Tigers.

But clearly the best side on the day prevailed, something Tigers coach Jason Taylor acknowledged.

“They were strong and they were desperate,” he said of the Knights. “We fought really hard but we fought really hard from the back foot for most of the game. That’s tough.

“For that game to still be alive as late as it was I think was really good but across the course of the game we have got to be better.”

The Knights led 6-0 early and 12-6 at half-time but the six-point advantage did not indicate their first-half dominance.

Both sides scored controversial tries. David Fa’alogo crossed in the first half for the Knights after Tigers winger Pat Richards was ruled to have lost the ball near his own line because of a loose carry.

In the second half, the Tigers had a lucky break when Luke Brooks scored after some soccer skills from fullback James Tedesco produced a try out of nothing.

But it was the scrum win against the feed that had everyone talking afterwards.

There was no guarantee the Tigers would have capitalised on Dane Gagai knocking the ball on 10m from his own line with six minutes left.

The Tigers celebrate a Luke Brooks try.

But they should have at least had the opportunity.

Instead of a set of six on Newcastle’s line, they lost possession and the Knights went up field for Redman to put the game out of reach.

“Probably the most disappointing part of us losing that scrum when it was our feed was the way we reacted to that,” Taylor said.

“We really dropped our heads.

“It’s not good enough to lose that scrum. It’s in our control when we lost it.

“I can’t believe in 2015 that we are going to need to practise putting the ball in the scrum at training but it seems like we will.”

Tigers hooker Robbie Farah said: “We tried to pack it quickly so we had guys out of ­position.

“I think Brooksy said one of the Newcastle players struck at the ball and kicked it into our legs, which rebounded back into their side of the scrum.

“I’m not too sure if it went in properly but the ref called play on so that’s the rub of the green.”

NEWCASTLE 22 (D Fa’alogo J Leilua J McManus C Redman tries T Roberts 3 goals) bt WESTS TIGERS 12 (L Brooks D Halatau tries P Richards 2 goals) at Hunter Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Ashley Klein. Crowd: 15,573.

Re-live all the action from both Sunday games in the blog below!

Originally published as Knights v Tigers: Scrum win against the feed ensures Newcastle victory in scrappy contest