Bradman Best and Kalyn Ponga lead Knights to victory over Raiders
Barnstorming Newcastle youngsters Bradman Best and Kalyn Ponga led the Knights to a win over the Raiders that left Canberra coach Ricky Stuart seeing red.
Raiders
Don't miss out on the headlines from Raiders. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Canberra played like kids, Bradman was best, Kalyn was colossal.
Newcastle remained unbeaten this season following an upset 34-18 win over favourites Canberra that had Raiders coach Ricky Stuart seeing red.
“We played like children tonight – Newcastle manhandled us,” Stuart said.
It was a stunning performance from Newcastle through prodigious performances from rising centre Bradman Best and returning fullback Kalyn Ponga.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Best and Ponga scored three tries between them and enjoyed a combined total of five try assists. Newcastle has now posted three wins and a draw this season under new coach Adam O’Brien.
The Raiders’ performance – their first loss of the season - was ineffectual and sluggish for a side with such high expectations these days – and it drew immediate and harsh criticism from Stuart.
“It was one of those games you want to forget really quickly. We were really poor – we weren’t in the contest at all,” Stuart said. “Tonight was unacceptable. We didn’t accept the challenge and Newcastle were very good. I was really disappointed with that effort.”
Asked if he took anything from the match, Stuart said: “No.”
It was clinical, simple and well-constructed from Newcastle. Their defence was calm and relentless. Anyone who underestimates Newcastle this season will be left embarrassed and sheepish. Their attitude was top-notch.
“They’re (the players) rapt,” said Knights coach Adam O’Brien. “They’re a team that at the back-end of (last) year, we were reading about they turn it up, give up, don’t care – it’s not the case.”
Behind 28-6 midway through the second half, Canberra scored two tries to launch a gripping yet ultimately unsuccessful comeback.
Raiders prop Josh Papalii scored an amazing try, bursting through and past four defenders. It was barnstorming stuff. A melee right on full time may attract some scrutiny from the NRL match review committee.
THE BEST
It didn’t take long for Best – in just his fifth NRL game - to make an impact on the game. He bounced over after just one minute and 46 seconds of play and then scored a second with 40 seconds remaining.
Best made another 20 metre burst midway through the first half coming off their own line. He is a beast. And to cap a magic first half, Best grubber kicked for centre Enari Tuala, who was awarded a penalty try.
Best, who then set up another try in the second half, is eligible for rookie of the year and would be warm early favourite.
“I just pride myself on training hard and trying to improve every day,” Best said. “I want to achieve the goals I have set for myself.”
O’Brien added: “Physically and mentally he is the oldest 18-year-old I have ever met.”
PERFECT PONGA
Ponga was back after copping a one-game suspension – and he looked superb. The champion fullback scored a sizzling try and posted three try assists, the second a beautiful pass for winger Edrick Lee – a former Raider - to score.
Ponga hung around the back of the ruck and showed speed and footwork – he is some player. He played both sides of the ruck and looked dangerous for the entire match.
And another pass for Lee’s second try was magic. A true natural athlete, Ponga is magnificent to watch although he did come from the field late for a concussion test. Lee was another stellar performer.
“Having KP back gives us that spark,” O’Brien said. “I would imagine when the guys are putting on their socks and looking across the other side of the room and he is doing the same that it would give them all confidence.”
Best added: “He is a real leader for us.”
LISTLESS RAIDERS
Canberra fumbled their way through a lacklustre first half, Newcastle’s offloads killing the Raiders. NSW coach Brad Fittler, on Nine, said Canberra didn’t want to “take any bruises” in that first half.
Raiders star Jack Wighton had a mixed first half – he fumbled the ball, kicked out on the full, scored a spectacular try from a bomb and tackled Tuala off the ball which resulted in a penalty try. He later left the field for an HIA test.
Klemmer in the thick of it with Tapine 👀
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) June 7, 2020
(🎥: @FOXNRL) #NRLRaidersKnights pic.twitter.com/PtPIGGswzq
“Jack has been getting taken out of play after he kicks quite often – I asked him to go to the referees and talk about it on-field,” Stuart said. Newcastle played through the middle in the opening 40 minutes and stretched the Raiders defence with some speed.
“It was the worst we defended for two years. It was a very poor showing of commitment in defence,” Stuart said.
QUIRKY CANBERRA
Showing he was prepared to get his hands dirty, Canberra chief executive Don Furner ditched the corporate lounge to act as a ball boy on the eastern side of Campbelltown Stadium.
It was certainly entertaining watching a respected CEO – who was part of the Apollo committee which got rugby league started again – chasing errant footballs in the western Sydney rain.
And showing his English humour, injured Canberra forward John Bateman purchased $22 cardboard cutouts of teammates which were positioned among other fans behind the Canberra interchange bench.
Bateman managed to find what could be described as “average” photos of his teammates including hooker Josh Hodgson wearing sun glasses. Canberra produced a virtual Viking Clap which was shown on the Campbelltown Stadium big screen pre-game.
SCOREBOARD
NEWCASTLE 34 (1 penalty try) (B Best 2 E Lee 2 K Ponga E Tuala tries K Ponga 4 T Hoy goals) bt CANBERRA 18 (N Cotric J Papalii J Wighton tries J Croker 3 goals) at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Referee: Ashley Klein.