Nathan Brown says collapse against St George Illawarra is his toughest loss as Newcastle coach

THE Knights have lost a lot of games, so when Nathan Brown says Sunday’s loss is the toughest in his time with the club you know it must have been a doozy.

Knights' players look on following a try scored by Jason Nightingale of the Dragons during the round 16 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Newcastle Knights at UOW Jubilee Oval in Sydney on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (AAP Image/Paul Miller) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

NEWCASTLE have suffered more heartbreak than a William Shakespeare tragedy — but Sunday’s loss was almost too much for NRL Romeo Nathan Brown to take.

The Knights coach, who began his career with St George at Kogarah Oval, watched on helplessly as his side collapsed after five first-half tries had him banking a fairytale win.

But St George Illawarra scored four second-half tries to come back from 28-10 and deny Brown and his Knights a remarkable and rare win.

“It was a tough one that,’’ Brown said.

“Really hard to take. It was the hardest one so far definitely. We have had a lot of close ones but that was certainly the hardest one to take.’’

The Knights were flying high at 28-10.

The Knights looked certain to pull off the year’s biggest upset and land the club just their fourth win in two years at halftime after Nathan Ross scored a hat-trick in a first half blitz.

“Take the first 10 minutes out and the first 40 minutes is the best football I have seen since I have been here,’’ Brown said.

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“We executed plays we have practised at training and it was as good as I have seen. And then that 25 minute in the second half, well we have been beat up a few times in the last 18 months but that is the most disappointed I have been.’’

Brown is sick of losing. He can only speak about development and improvement for so long.

“There are parts of it where I can see players developing,’’ Brown said.

The Dragons took control in the second half.

“At this is all off them that are being developed to be honest.

“To be able to do that to the Dragons in the first 40 was great but there is a reason why we keep on losing these games and it is because we are not physically and mentally not good enough to not even play for 60 minutes at the moment.’’