The reserve grade Newcastle Knights were beaten 38-10 by the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was another tough day at the office for the side, with six of the players in the team still eligible for the NYC and several late switches.
The Knights were the first team on the scoreboard, half Kurt Aldridge launching a bomb that Braden Robson managed to get his hands on. Donovan was unable to convert from the sideline, and seven minutes later Tigers halfback Veiru Mapesone pegged the red and blues back with a try.
It was back-to-back tries for the home side soon after, as hooker Manaia Cherrington managed to sneak over the line from dummy-half. Mapesone missed the conversion to keep the score at 10-4, but seven minutes later five-eighth Jack Littlejohn finished off an improvised backline move to push the Tigers further into the lead.
Watson Heleta was the next player to score, the fullback slicing through a tiring Knights’ defence.
Seven minutes into the second half the Tigers were over the line again, this time half Jeremy Marshall-King getting the points after chasing down a grubber. Soon after winger Jayden Wheelhouse piled more misery on the Knights with a try in the right corner, Mapesone missing the conversion to keep the score at 32-4.
With 15 minutes to play centre Chance Peni furthered the Tigers’ lead with a powerful run through the line.
Winger Matt Soper-Lawler finished off the scoring for the afternoon with a try on the left edge, the final score 38-10.
SUMMARY
Newcastle Knights 10 (T: Robson, Soper-Lawler, G: Donovan 1/2)
Wests Tigers 38 (T: Mapesone, Cherrington, Littlejohn, Heleta, Marshall-King, Wheelhouse, Peni, G: Mapesone 5/7)
TEAM
1. Bryce Donovan, 2. Ken Tofilau, 3. Henry Penn, 20. Pat Mata'utia, 5. Matt Soper-Lawler, 22. Kurt Aldridge, 7. Will Pearsall, 17. Tama Koopu, 9. Joey Morris, 10. Uiti Baker, 4. Braden Robson, 12. David Bhana, 13. Luke Yates. Interchange: 14. Ben Stone, 15. Sam Bernstrom, 16. Bradie Smith, 18. Tyrone Amey.
