With a try-saver early and his first NRL try just before half time, halfback Jaelen Feeney was one of the standouts in the nib Newcastle Knights’ narrow loss to the Manly Sea Eagles at Lottoland on Friday evening.
The 22-year-old told Knights TV it was a disappointing result.
“We put in a solid performance in the wet and it was a forward’s game of footy but we just let ourselves down on key principles with silly penalties, early dropped balls and early mistakes,” Feeney said.
“We definitely competed hard but we don’t want to be happy with satisfactory, we want to actually get the two points and come away with it.”
Despite the defeat, there was a special moment in the match for the young halfback as he scored his first NRL try.
“I just got myself in the position, made the play and got fortunate enough to hit a couple of legs and just chase hard so it is good to be off the nudie, pretty special,” Feeney smiled.
The Knights halfback said Manly’s Akuila Uate played an integral part in the Sea Eagles’ win as the former Knight recorded a controversial double.
“He probably dropped the ball over the line but we can’t take that out of the referee’s hands,” explained Feeney.
“That is his call and we have to get ourselves back in it.
“Choccy (Akuila Uate) is a wonderful competitor and he is a good winger and he’s always going to turn up for big games and occasions like this so full credit to him.”
Feeney admits a loss by just four points does hurt that little bit more.
“It makes the defeat a lot worse when you’re so close and yet you still don’t come home with the two points,” Feeney said.
“We put in a really good performance out in the rain in a tough, grinding, muddy wet game where you don’t get away with anything but that’s footy at the end of the day.
“We will just go back to the drawing board with the bye and hopefully just keep pushing to get that win.”
