The NYC Newcastle Knights lost 54-12 to the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday morning.
In what proved to be a horror game for the young Knights they failed to score any points in the second half while the Tigers ran through for ten all up.
It didn't take the Tigers long to find first points when Tyler Cassel crashed over the line in the fourth minute. Matt Woods converted, and six minutes later centre Obed Karwhin grounded the ball after an unorthodox passage of play.
The young Knights were clearly struggling to get into the game, and with 12 minutes played Karwhin grabbed his second when he leapt high to collect a Te Maire Martin bomb.
Three minutes later the barrage continued as JJ Felise benefited from a clever Martin pass to score.
With the score at 22-0 the Knights finally clicked into gear, Jack Cogger latching onto a grubber from halves partner Brock Lamb to score. Lamb converted but in the 23rd minute there was another lapse in defence as Marshall-King capitalised on an error from fullback Bryce Donovan.
The Knights had two close calls in attack soon after as both Ken Tofilau and Fuiamamao Uta were denied following great runs.
There was no stopping Uta four minutes before half-time though when he intercepted a loose ball to run 60 metres and score beneath the posts.
Two minutes later the Knights looked like they were over again when winger Matthew Soper-lawler made a darting 30 metre run, but the video referee ruled that Cogger had dropped the ball over the line despite replays suggesting otherwise.
The Tigers were the first team to score in the second half, interchange forward Esan Marsters finding too much space in the middle to exploit. Woods converted to push the home side's lead to 20 points.
Two minutes later winger Jayden Wheelhouse crossed over for the Tigers as well, capping off a solid run from Martin to further extend his side's lead.
Soon after the Knights were denied what looked to be a clear-cut try, and in the following set Tigers forward Tyler Cassel scored to further compound the red and blues' misery.
With 14 minutes to play the Tigers scored yet again, Marsters grabbing his second of the morning thanks to a clever hit-and-spin on the line.
With only seconds left on the clock the Tigers grabbed their final try via winger Ryland Jacobs. Woods failed to convert, leaving the final score at a heavy 54-12.
SUMMARY
Newcastle Knights 12 (T: Cogger, Uta, G: Lamb 2/2)
Wests Tigers 54 (T: Cassel 2, Karwhin 2, Felise, Marshall-King, Marsters 2, Wheelhouse, Jacobs, G: Woods: 7/10)
TEAM
Donovan, Soper-Lawler, Birch, Uta, Tofilau, Lamb, Cogger, King, McNamara, D Saifiti, Smith, J Saifiti, Yates. Bench: Kelly, Amey, Easton, Faitotoa.
