Sims sin-binned for swinging arm as Knights upset Melbourne Storm in Newcastle
The Knights have finally broken their eight-year winless streak against the Melbourne Storm to keep their NRL season alive.
Bradman Best reprised his barnstorming State of Origin form at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night as the Newcastle Knights upset Melbourne Storm 26-18 and kept their finals hopes alive.
In a fiery contest in front of a near full-house, Best formed a potent left-side combination with Kalyn Ponga and Greg Marzhew and dominated Storm’s right edge with a try, two linebreak assists and four tackle breaks.
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Marzhew was equally hard to stop running for 162m while Ponga ran for 189m.
The win snapped an 11-game losing streak by Newcastle in games against Storm and saw them leapfrog Sydney Roosters to sit in 10th spot, one point behind seventh-placed Parramatta Eels.
Storm will sweat on the fitness of Reimis Smith who suffered an abductor injury, while firebrand forward Tariq Sims faces a nervous wait as his swinging arm and apparent crusher on Jackson Hastings is examined by the match review committee.
Storm coach Craig bellamy would be livid with enforcer Sims after his sin bin for a high shot and crusher tackle on Jackson Hastings turned the match in Newcastle’s favour.
The Storm were in control at 12-4, before Sims was sin-binned and the Knights scored through Marzhew and Lachlan Fitzgibbon while he was off the field to take a lead they never relinquished.
“Things turned when Tariq Sims went to the sin bin and off the back of that Newcastle took the lead,” Warren Smith said.
“The tackle form Tariq Sims might see him in trouble for the high contact on Hastings as well as a crusher type tackle on the ground.
“Of the back of that the Knights scored through Greg Marzhew and Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Newcastle led by six at the break.”
Steve Roach believes referee Gerard Sutton had no choice but to sin bin Sims and the play turned the match on its head.
“Tariq Sims didn’t give the referee much option there but to send him to the sin bin,” Roach said.
“He hit him right on the chin. Marzhew scores in the corner off the back of it and then they scored again on the stroke of halftime with Sims off the field.”
Harry Grant was penalised and put on report in the first half when his knees connected with Phoenix Crossland’s back as both players chased a grubber. Crossland got to the ball first, Grant’s knees contacted with his back soon after.
There appeared no malice or intent by Grant and he was perhaps unlucky to be reported. Though there was no malice or intent by Reagan Campbell-Gillard for his shot on Chris Randall last Sunday and the Eels forward copped four weeks.
Grant was seen looking back at referee Gerard Sutton after he was placed on report almost as if he thought he was being sent to the sin bin given Campbell-Gillard suffered the same fate.
However, the Storm star managed to escape with only being placed on report, although he could face time out on the sidelines.
The Knights opened their scoring when Dominic Young scored in the southwest corner after repeat sets and quick hands by Dane Gagai.
It was Young’s 19th try for the season with the 21-year-old Roosters-bound Englishman needing two more tries to tie the Knights season record held by Timana Tahu and Akuila Uate.
Young’s try also doubled as the Knights’ first of five unanswered tries as the home side clicked into gear and made the Storm pay.
Originally published as Sims sin-binned for swinging arm as Knights upset Melbourne Storm in Newcastle
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