Hudson Young sin-binned for late shot on Kalyn Ponga as Canberra Raiders beat Newcastle Knights in NRL season opener

Congratulations to the Raiders on their win tonight, however the Knights can be gutted with their efficiency.

They do not wish to must go on one other 10-game successful streak on the finish of the season to make the finals, so they should type their points ASAP.

However we’ll depart that each one to the longer term and depart you with a reminder that we’ll be running a blog each spherical of the NRL (and AFL) this 12 months, so we’ll be again tomorrow night time for Warriors-Sharks and Storm-Panthers.

See you then!

Josh Papali’i has slimmed down within the low season.

He performed 43 minutes tonight and had three sort out breaks from 10 hit-ups. Of his 105 metres, 41 got here after contact.

That was a powerful and typical Canberra Raiders win tonight. Simply holding on and taking benefit once they obtained their possibilities.

Ricky Stuart can be thrilled with that efficiency, taking into account they nonetheless have Elliott Whitehead, Corey Horsburgh and Sebastian Kris to come back again into the aspect.

The Knights appeared actually peculiar tonight in assault and the defence crumbled late within the piece as soon as a little bit of fatigue set in.

He had the worst play of the night time, however he ends it with a attempt on the top of an improvised transfer with six passes, two offloads and a sort out bust from Emre Guler to crash over.

Either side look gassed, however the Raiders’ large males discover the power to place a transfer on and ship Younger over.

Halfback Jackson Hastings simply strolls between some drained Canberra defenders and jogs it in beneath the posts.

Ponga converts for a 22-12 deficit, however it could take a miracle.

The Knights five-eighth tries a chip and chase from his personal half and earns his group a penalty as he will get taken out by Joe Tapine after the kick.

Tapine challenges, however the bunker says he deliberately backed into Gamble.

On the again of a superb run from Tom Starling, they spin it broad to Ethan Unusual, who skips throughout the defence and fires a ball out to Albert Hopoate. He spins and passes out to Rapana to attain proper the place Savage touched down a few minutes in the past.

Unsure why Rapana’s on the wing, nevertheless it’s earned him some factors there.

Fogarty hooks the sideline conversion. He is kicked effectively in play, however the tee kicking hasn’t been nice.

Winger Enari Tuala is off with a quad harm…

… and Dylan Lucas was filling in out within the centres, however now he is off after hurting himself attempting to cease Savage. So I’ve no clue what the surface backs for Newcastle seems to be like now.

I feel Tyson Frizell is enjoying proper centre with Dane Gagai on the wing.

One other Jamal Fogarty kick results in factors for the Raiders.

Albert Hopoate climbs above a grounded Dane Gagai to rein in a excessive ball, popping a go out the again to Hudson Younger, who recycles in a flash out to Xavier Savage, charging to the road and stepping inside Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Lucas to dot down out broad.

Jamal Fogarty’s mis-hit bomb is allowed to bounce a few instances, and Greg Marzhew picks it up deep in his in-goal with the Raiders swarming. Substitute hooker Tom Starling will get beneath his ribs and massive Massive Papi finishes him off up high to pressure the dropout.

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The Knights go shut however get held up on the fifth, then, after a bunker assessment that give Canberra time to reset its defence, the Knights simply slowly spin the ball the width of the sector. The Raiders merely quantity up in defence and pressure the handover on their very own 20m line.

Hudson Younger was carrying on like a pork chop on the bottom after tackling Kalyn Ponga, driving his head into his chest for a few seconds. He would not get penalised, however the penalty on Jamal Fogarty on the next sort out appears like an actual make-up name.

Knights on the assault deep in Canberra’s territory.

And a repeat set as Jack Cogger’s grubber is performed at.

Jamal Fogarty launches a spiralling bomb, nevertheless it would not tip on the high of its flight the way in which a Cleary bomb would possibly, that means it falls comparatively straight and Ponga makes a clear take, firing himself again into the line of defense.

The Knights conceded a penalty on their tryline and about two tackles later, former Knight Pasami Saulo will get a fast play-the-ball and the Knights, even with the markers shamelessly aspect by aspect, cannot cease Danny Levie scooting over between Jack Hetherington and Jacob Saifit beneath the posts.

Jamal Fogarty boots a protracted ball straight to Kalyn Ponga.

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And the Raiders give away a penalty for a strip by Danny Levi.

Lastly a standard kick-off.

Hudson Younger completed that first half again on the park, however he might have a case to reply on the judiciary for his late, excessive shot on Kalyn Ponga within the twenty fourth minute.

Ponga had clearly handed and been knocked by Jordan Rapana, and Younger got here via late.

Granted, his momentum was all the time going to hold him into Ponga, however Jillaroo Tiana Penitani mentioned it greatest on Fox…

“He had sufficient time to decide to not throw his shoulder into Kalyn Ponga’s head.”

Just about sums it up.

The Knights are wanting very sloppy on the market, however their defence is holding up fairly effectively.

If they will minimize out some foolish errors, they appear the higher of the 2 sides.

Credit score to Canberra although, as a result of they performed 1 / 4 of that first 40 minutes right down to 12 males and even scored a attempt in that interval.

Dane Gagai jams up and in on the 19-year-old five-eighth and jolts the ball free.

Unusual has been fairly quiet tonight. Jamal Fogarty must discover a method to carry him into the sport.