Knights battered, broken but never beaten
March 24th 2009 05:47
One only has to look at the horrific leg break suffered by Knights forward Cameron Ciraldo, to know why Newcastle’s victory over the Cronulla Sharks on Monday night meant the world to coach Brian Smith.
Smith labelled the 24-12 win over the Sharks as the best in his short tenure coaching the Knights. A ‘blue collar’ victory based on Newcastle’s enthusiasm in defence and their ability to thrive in the face of adversity.
The Knights lost key players Jarred Mullen and Steve Simpson to injury early in the first half, which saw the Sharks capitalise with a great individual try to Cronulla five-eighth Trent Barrett.
With a limited amount of troops to call upon, Newcastle were in no man’s land in a period where the Sharks should have won the match.
Cronulla winger Misi Taulapapa nearly scored a try in the corner off a solid backline move, only for the video referee to rightfully rule he had scraped the touch line.
Taulapapa’s disallowed four pointer was the turning point for a Knights side that literally had its backs against the walls.
It signaled a Newcastle revival that started thanks to the controlled performance from Knights half Scott Dureau.
Dureau, who was rushed into Newcastle’s side in the last minute, scored the opening try for the Knights, thanks to great lead-up play by forwards Zeb Taia and Chris Houston.
Luck had truly made its way back into Newcastle’s grasp, with Junior Sau apparently bombing a try, only to offload a miraculous ball to Corey Paterson to give the Knights the lead heading into halftime.
Indeed Knights coach Brian Smith was fully aware his sides next forty minutes would not only determine the outcome of their match, but possibly the entire season.
Buoyed by their efforts to gain the lead against a very tough Sharks outfit, the Knights put Cronulla to the sword early in the second half.
Two quick tries to Chris Houston and Richard Fa’aoso gave Newcastle a 24-6 lead that was always going to be very difficult, for a struggling offensive outfit like the Sharks, to peg back.
With 30 minutes still remaining in the second half, Sharks half Blake Green made a mockery of the Knights defence to score a try and narrow Newcastle’s lead down to 12.
But it was the horrific leg break suffered by Knights interchange forward Cameron Ciraldo that threatened to derail Newcastle’s terrific effort against the Sharks.
While attempting a tackle, Ciraldo landed awkwardly on his right leg and screamed in agony as his foot was turned 90 degrees, suggesting a painful break, let alone dislocation.
Ciraldo’s injury meant the Knights only had to make do with one player on the bench for the entirety of the second half.
It is pressure moments like these however that show why The Knights are up there as the most characteristic and passion driven club in the NRL.
Making do with injuries and a vocal Sharks crowd, the Knights defended like men possessed close to their tryline against a Cronulla unit that had two tries disallowed by the video referee late in the second half.
Indeed Newcastle held on for a dramatic victory that was full of adversity, but will now serve as the backbone to perhaps a potential finals birth in season 2009.
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