Kalyn Ponga ices win as Knights slay Dogs 22-10 at Suncorp

Newcastle have survived a second-half fight back from Canterbury to return to the top-eight with a third-straight victory, with playmaker Kieran Foran impressing on return from injury.

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On the field, Mitchell Pearce is the difference between Newcastle sitting just outside the top-eight or back among the also-rans.

Off the field, the Knights captain is proving just as influential.

Leading 16-0 at halftime of Saturday’s win over Canterbury, the Knights dressing room was buzzing until Pearce’s voice demanded attention and he called for his players to put away any ego.

Kalyn Ponga sealed the victory with a late try. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

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“I touched on what has been working for us over the past month - playing really direct and playing our sequences well and trusting that,’’ Pearce said.

“That’s what we laid down.

“We probably played with a bit of ego in the back-half of the first-half, just playing for ourselves a bit and we regrouped.

“The second-half was a bit similar, but the efforts and the scraps and what footy is about, playing for your mate and turning up for each other is what got us the win.’’

Riding on the back of man of the match Pearce and Kalyn Ponga, Newcastle hung-on to beat the fast-finishing Bulldogs - but it wasn’t without controversy.

Adam Elliott was strong for the Bulldogs. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Trailing 16-10 with just under two minutes remaining, the Dogs were denied an opportunity to fire one last shot at the Knights when the referees overlooked a possible Pearce knock-on.

The favourable call for the Knights led to Ponga icing the win with a runaway try.

“I thought it might have been (a knock-on), but I looked at it and with my momentum it went back,’’ Pearce said.

“You turn up on those effort-plays and sometimes you get a positive result.’’

FORAN OF OLD

38-days ago, Bulldogs halfback Kieran Foran was laying in a hospital bed having just undergone surgery to his ankle.

On Saturday, the former Kiwi Test half defied his original 12-week recovery time to return after six weeks out with a lively performance - including a try-assist and one no-try - that gives every Dogs fan hope.

Mitchell Pearce continued his strong form at Suncorp. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

However, despite chasing the Knights down it was the Dogs poor first-half which included seven errors, 11 missed tackles and a 63 per cent completion rate which cost them.

“We fought really well to get back into the game, but we just can’t get across the line,’’ Dogs coach Dean Pay said.

“Hopefully Kieran can get back to what he was doing before he got hurt, he’s a big part of our team so he’s only going to get better and also as a team we will.’’

WING AND A PRAYER

The sight of Connor Watson in a moon boot and on crutches as well winger Edrick Lee limping from the dressing room is set to cause Nathan Brown headaches.

Watson will require scans on a foot injury and his omission would force yet another breakdown in the halves for Pearce, who has been paired with a constant rotation of five-eighths this year.

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Lee has an achillies complaint that will leave him in doubt for next Friday’s clash with St George-Illawarra.

The retirement of Nathan Ross and the fact outside back Tautau Moga has played just two games of Canterbury Cup this year leaves Brown with limited options out wide while Mason Lino is the front runner to replace Watson at five-eighth if he’s ruled out.

DRAGON SLAYING

First-half tries to Hymel Hunt, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Pearce enabled the Knights to secure their third consecutive win for the first time since round 23, 2017.

As confidence-building and morale-boosting as wins over the Eels, Warriors and the Bulldogs are, these are the games the Knights should be winning if they’re to take themselves seriously in this competiton.

It’s for this reason, that Newcastle’s lifeless effort against the Gold Coast last month came with such criticism and heated questions.

The Knights side that played direct, with intent and with patience yesterday should never had 38-points put on them by the Titans.

And that’s the challenge for Newcastle now.

Where do they rate? We’ll know a lot more after they play St George-Illawarra in Mudgee next Sunday.

NEWCASTLE 22 (L Fitzgibbon H Hunt M Pearce K Ponga tries K Ponga 3 goals) bt CANTERBURY 10 (WHopoate R Smith tries N Meaney goal) at Suncorp Stadium