Fletcher Sharpe stars as Newcastle Knights win 25-6 over Penrith Panthers

Newcastle have relegated reigning premiers the Panthers to the bottom of the ladder, putting together a strong win to ease the pressure on their embattled coach Adam O’Brien.

Just when Newcastle Knights coach Adam O’Brien needed a win his team turned up for him. It has been a theme of O’Brien’s coaching career that whenever the blowtorch has been applied on his position the team find a way to turn it around.

And turned it on they did, racing to a 24-0 halftime lead against four-time premiers Penrith to give the Knights their second win in their past nine games. It is easy to point to the Panthers missing a host of Origin stars with Kiwi international Scott Sorensen also watching on from the sidelines.

Fletcher Sharpe had a blinder. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

The Knights also fielded a near unrecognisable team. A host of key players including star fullback Kalyn Ponga was missing. Throw in injured representative players in injured duo Bradman Best and Jacob Saifiti plus winger Greg Marzhew and the Knights were a bandaid team.

Their concerns were made worse when Leo Thompson (gastro) was too sick to travel with the side while Adam Elliott ruptured his biceps in the opening exchanges of the clash against Penrith which will mean an extended stint on the sideline.

Debutant Paul Bryan dislocated his shoulder in his first involvement in the game but managed to play on.

The Knights win now has the Panthers anchored alone on the bottom of the premiership ladder. It should also dispel any notion that the Newcastle side aren’t playing for their coach. For now at least.

Half Tyson Gamble produced arguably his best career performance laying on three first half tries all to back-rower Dylan Lucas whose game continues to grow.

The Knights had a simple game plan. Work their small men in the middle of the field which helped make significant inroads in the first half.

Dylan Lucas controlled the game from start to finish. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Newcastle were at one stage scoring more points than game minutes in the game. Their one blemish with the football in the opening 30 minutes was a Gamble intercept pass.

Defensively they also made a couple of big plays including Dane Gagai’s desperate effort to prevent Tom Jenkins from scoring.

The Panthers were denied three first half tries by the bunker but even still they were never in the contest and look a shadow of the side which has dominated the NRL in recent years.

While the Knights give their coach some breathing space – for at least another week.