Match Report: Jersey Flegg Cup R10 vs Knights

The home side move to a 7-3 record for the season with the victory and have further cemented their standing as one of the competition’s strongest sides in 2024.

After a period of sustained pressure on Newcastle’s line, Wests Tigers were unable to capitalise early and the Knights made them pay by posting the first points of the afternoon.

Fullback Logan Aoake sliced through from close range, with Fletcher Hunt’s sideline conversion making it 6-0 to the visitors after 12 minutes.

The Knights extended their lead shortly after, as rampaging lock forward Myles Martin burst through the line and passed to Jacob Davis who strolled over next to the posts.

A looping cutout ball from Naati Teaupa then put Junior Wright over in the right corner after the bullocking winger was held up over the line just minutes earlier.

Zak Clarke’s conversion from out wide made it 12-6 after 23 minutes of play.

Clarke, who was one of the best on ground, powered his way through multiple Knights defenders to cross, making it 12-12 at half-time.

The two sides traded four-pointers to open the second stanza with a powerful surge to the line from Knights back-rower Jermaine McEwen being met by an equally damaging run from nuggety prop, Herman Tofaeono.

A successful conversion of the Tofaeono try put Wests Tigers ahead for the first time at 18-16.

Promising young outside back Navren Willett then scored in the corner in his first  Jersey Flegg Cup match, with the towering winger capitalising on some silky ball-playing from Iverson Matai.

Wests Tigers stamped their authority on the contest late in the game, with Naati Teaupa diving over off a Kobie Wilson grubber kick from dummy half, concluding the afternoon’s scoring.