Canterbury’s upset 20-14 win over Newcastle puts a dent in the Knights top four hopes
The Knights have been talked up as a fair dinkum premiership threat but fans are entitled to have their doubts after the Bulldogs sprung a 20-14 win on the Novocastrians.
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The NRL’s under fire match officials have landed in more controversy after a bizarre
match-defining bunker overrule in Newcastle’s shock 20-14 loss to Canterbury.
On a night of drama at McDonald Jones Stadium, the Bulldogs cashed in on the 62nd
sin binning of Knights forward James Gavet to score a courageous come-from-
behind victory that finally moves them off the bottom of the NRL ladder.
But the gutsy win was somewhat overshadowed by a crucial 72nd minute bunker call
that created major confusion.
After trailing 6-0 at halftime before locking the scores at 8-all following Gavet’s sin
binning, Canterbury scored two late tries to secure Dean Pay’s team back-to-back
victories for the first time this season.
While it appeared the final decision from senior video official Ashley Klein to award a
try to Reimis Smith was correct, the process was embarrassing.
On-field referee Matt Cecchin sent it up to the bunker as a “no try” after Smith had
latched onto a Jack Cogger kick but juggled the ball before touching down.
After a long delay of watching replays, Klein then said the video evidence supported
the live decision but surprisingly Klein still awarded the try.
The replays appeared to confirm Smith’s hand did not come off the ball but the
crossed wires left many wondering if the right decision was made.
That kicked the Bulldogs 20-8 clear and even though Newcastle narrowed the
margin to six points when Shaun Kenny-Dowall bagged his double the difference
ultimately came back to the bunker ruling.
SIN BIN “FAIR ENOUGH”
Knights coach Nathan Brown didn’t make comment on the controversial try ruling, but he didn’t use the sin binning as an excuse, either.
Newcastle has been talked up as a fair dinkum premiership threat in recent months but the loss to the Bulldogs was a heavy dose of reality.
Two days after Mitchell Pearce put his own State of Origin demons to bed, Brown challenged his playmakers post match after failing to handle the period when they were down to 12-men.
Gavet was punished as a result of the NRL’s new crackdown on late shots after he smashed Canterbury lock Chris Smith off the ball.
Questioned if the sin bin was too tough, Brown said: “Look, everyone can make their judgment there.
“At the end of the day they said they were going to do it and they have done it so they have stuck with what they said.
“It is part of the game that they want to eradicate which is fair enough.”
But Brown wasn’t as accepting of his team’s inability to survive the setback.
“We just handled that period of the game poorly,” Brown added.
“We had a kick out on the full, error, bad kick, we just kept putting ourselves under pressure.”
Newcastle now take on Pearce’s former club the Sydney Roosters next Saturday at the SCG in what will be a real litmus test as to where they stand in this charge to the finals.
The Knights hammered the under strength Roosters 38-12 back in round 11 which was the night Luke Keary suffered his horrible concussion and coach Trent Robinson had rested Cooper Cronk.
As good as the Knights have been going, their biggest test was against Melbourne in round 14 and they were belted 34-4 so next week they need to lift.
PAY DAY FOR DOGS
It was arguably the best win of Dean Pay’s time at the Bulldogs.
Pay’s uncertain future has been one of the game’s hottest discussion points in recent weeks.
But anyone who can send a team sitting last on the ladder onto Newcastle’s home ground and walk away with a win only confirms that those who do have respect for Pay are his players.
Will Hopoate was tremendous as was Corey Harawira-Naera and Josh Jackson, while young halves Brandon Wakeham and Jack Cogger really stood up in the absence of Kieran Foran.
Wakeham produced a brilliant piece of halves play to create a gap for Harawira-Naera to bust through and take the lead for the first time in the match in the 67th minute.
Soon after Cogger came up with a perfectly placed last tackle kick for Smith’s try.
The win pushes the Bulldogs to 12 competition points and ahead of Gold Coast following the Titans’ loss to Penrith.
CANTERBURY 20 (C Harawira-Naera W Hopoate R Smith tries N Meaney 4 goals) bt NEWCASTLE 14 (S Kenny-Dowall 2 tries M Lino 3 goals) at McDonald Jones Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Phil Henderson. Crowd: 17,757
Originally published as Canterbury’s upset 20-14 win over Newcastle puts a dent in the Knights top four hopes
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