Kalyn Ponga injured as Raiders win 22-18 over Knights, plus SuperCoach NRL analysis

The Raiders have overtaken the Canterbury Bulldogs to move to the top of the NRL ladder, after holding off a brave Knights comeback. PLUS see the 10 things we learned from Friday night footy.

The Canberra Raiders have snatched first place on the NRL ladder after narrowly disposing of the Newcastle Knights 22-18 in the Hunter.

Despite sitting in second for the majority of the season, Canterbury’s 8-6 loss to Penrith on Thursday night left the door ajar for Ricky Stuart’s side to climb their way into pole position.

The Knights on the other hand have won two of their last three clashes, both thanks to tries on the last play, yet neither displays convinced fans that the club had turned a corner.

Though there was no points in the opening 15 minutes, the Raiders were dominant from the outset, busts from Matt Timoko and Kaeo Weekes leaving the Green Machine in Newcastle’s red zone.

Jackson Hastings, recalled from NSW Cup after Fletcher Sharpe ruptured his spleen in Perth, nearly set up the opener on the back of a pinpoint chip for Dom Young in the corner, only for Weekes to plant the ball in-goal.

It would be a former Knight that would dot down for the eventual first try, Simi Sasagi leaping through the air to pinch the ball from Ponga’s hands and plant it down for a 4-0 lead.

Filling in for the rested Hudson Young, Sasagi was a key component to their left edge, a component Ricky Stuart was quick to praise after the clash.

The Raiders have held off a late Newcastle comeback to move to the top of the NRL ladder. Picture: Getty Images

“I needed a big off season from Simi.

“We wouldn’t commit to extending him until he gave me the commitment in the pre-season, and he was brilliant. He came back from his overseas tour with Samoa, I said absolutely go with the blessing he comes back and gets straight back to off season.

“And to his credit, he did it.”

Identical plays on either side of the field extended the Raiders’ lead to 16, thanks to miracle balls from both Canberra back-rowers.

Tom Starling’s last-tackle short-ball to Zac Hosking saw the Newcastle junior hit-and-spin before somehow popping the ball to Weekes for a stunning four-pointer.

A pinpoint 40/20 from Jamal Fogarty landed Canberra back in Newcastle’s 20 metre zone, with Starling reusing the same play that handed Weekes a try minutes earlier.

This time the former Knight darted out of dummy-half on the left, hitting Sasagi short before the forward popped the ball back to Starling, finding Strange on the short side for Canberra’s third in quick succession.

The 16-0 lead at halftime signified the eighth time this season Newcastle have gone into the break with a duck egg on the scoreboard, earning scattered boos as the players ran off.

The zero was quickly erased in the second stanza however, Ponga finding James Schiller on the short side for an easy four-pointer.

While it seemed to breathe some life into Newcastle, sending Schiller down the touchline again moments later, Strange put the dagger into the side after scooping up a loose ball, racing away before finding Jed Stuart in support.

Despite the score only sitting at 22-6, it appeared to be curtains for Adam O’Brien’s men, losing Ponga to an apparent ankle injury just 12 days out from an Origin decider.

Newcastle forward Jermaine McEwen would crash over from dummy-half for his first NRL try late in the piece, only narrowly keeping the door ajar for the home side.

That ajar door copped a double blow in Newcastle’s favour soon after, Owen Pattie penalised for an obstruction in the act of scoring before Schiller bagged his double at the other end.

A slick backline movement through fill-in fullback Dane Gagai on the left found Schiller in the corner, running around to improve the position, and cut the deficit to a narrow 22-18 lead for the Raiders.

Despite coming home with a wet sail, Newcastle couldn’t find the killer blow, knocking it on in the final play to seal yet another loss at home.

O’Brien hadn’t given up on his side play finals footy, even with a 6-10 record heading into their second bye.

“If we keep putting an effort in like that, we’ll need some things to go our way (to make the finals). It’s a weird, weird ladder. We’re probably one call away from potentially being in the eight.”

RAIDERS’ SPINE SIZZLES AMONGST NEWCASTLE DRIZZLE

If you watched this clash and were asked which member of Canberra’s spine performed the best, it’d be akin to picking your favourite child, you just can’t.

While it wasn’t anywhere near the Raiders’ highest points-tally this year, everything just clicked for the Green Machine’s main men.

Kaeo Weekes was electric at the back, Tom Starling was scheming at rake, Jamal Fogarty’s boot was inch-perfect, and Ethan Strange had his hand in just about everything. The quartet could be the NRL’s in-form spine right now.

Head coach Ricky Stuart refused to single out any star after the integral win, instead praising his squad as a whole.

“I can’t stress enough how good of a bunch of blokes I’ve got. They, like all footy teams, they want to win, but they’re a close team.

“They’ll pick each other up in how they’re handling this situation (the hype) right now.”

Kalyn Ponga is in doubt for Origin III with a foot injury. Picture: Getty Images

KALYN’S ANKLE LEAVES SLATER SWEATING

Just 12 days out from the State of Origin decider in Sydney, Billy Slater seemingly has the biggest decision of his young coaching career in front of him.

After being recalled for the series opener at Suncorp, Ponga’s Origin series may be in tatters after succumbing to an ankle injury at McDonald Jones Stadium, limping up the tunnel with 20 minutes left to play.

It leaves Slater pondering whether to pick the Newcastle skipper and hope 12 days is long enough, or cut the cord early and throw Reece Walsh into the mix for the Maroons.

Head coach Adam O’Brien was quick to douse whispers that the injury would rule his skipper out of Origin.

“He’ll need to go and get scans. All I know is that it’s a foot injury, it’s not the one he did in 2023, but the doctors said he’ll get scans either tonight or tomorrow.”

RICKY’S RAIDERS ROLL ON

You could ask almost anyone involved in rugby league in the pre-season whether the Raiders would contest for the minor premiership, and they would’ve laughed in your face.

Yet, this ‘next man up’ motto for the Green Machine has left opponents in the dust again and again this season, and Friday night was no different.

Missing their best forward in Hudson Young and onto their third-string left winger, the Raiders just keep finding ways to win. Sitting atop the ladder and still two byes to go, expect the Raiders to cruise into September.

Despite going from wooden spoon chatter to minor premiership favourites, Stuart is adamant that his side won’t buy into the praise.

“We didn’t listen to all the bagging and criticism (in the off-season), and we won’t be listening to the noise now.

“There’s still people out there that don’t believe. We didn’t listen to the criticism so we don’t listen to the hype.”

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Originally published as Kalyn Ponga injured as Raiders win 22-18 over Knights, plus SuperCoach NRL analysis