By Dave Lyall
Newcastle have continued their remarkable transformation under coach Justin Holbrook with a stunning 32-12 Easter Sunday victory over 2025 minor premiers Canberra at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.
The win for the Knights, their fourth in five games this season, snapped a seven game losing streak at home and lifted them to second place on the ladder.
But the situation could not be more different for the Raiders, who lost their fourth game on the bounce and fell to 15th, a far cry from the lofty achievements of last year when they lost just five regular season matches.
Veterans Jacob Saifiti, Dane Gagai and Tyson Frizell were outstanding for Newcastle, while former Rooster Sandon Smith continued to lead the team around the park in the absence of injured stars Kayln Ponga and Dylan Brown.
Holbrook wasn’t getting too carried away with the win but was keen to praise some of his players after the game.
“Great, great win for us,” Holbrook said.
“It was a great win for us in our second home game. We didn’t perform well in our first one few weeks ago, so great to get a good win against a dangerous footy side in the Raiders.
“I obviously want to thank so many players – Jacob Saifiti, and then the way Friz (Tyson Frizell) came on and sort of turned the game in our favour. I reckon, single handedly, to be honest, (but) so many good performers in that win today.”
The win came at a cost for Newcastle with centre Bradman Best injuring a groin in the first half, affording 20-year-old Wilson De Courcey an NRL debut.
“(Best) sort of struggled through the first half,” Holbrook said.
“But we’ve got to give him a wrap to last through to halftime. I think he wasn’t good early on, but he got through to half time and that was big for us.
“And then obviously, we got to make Wilson De Courcey’s debut in the second half.
“So, thrilled for him, good young player, but for Bradman, I’m not too sure yet. I’ll have to find out. But obviously not great that he had to come off.”
Meanwhile, Canberra coach Ricky Stuart was circumspect after the match.
“We are just not winning moments in the game,” Stuart said.
“And there was some poor pieces of play from us. We’ve got to be better in areas of those games if we want to win little moments and scenarios in 80 minutes; we’ve got to be better.
“My biggest concern at the moment, the players. All those boys are young and never been in this situation before, so I have to lead them out of it.
“I need the senior players like (captain) Joe Tapine to help me with that. But they’re a solid group, so we’ll stick together, and just got to keep working our way out of it.”
Meanwhile, Will Kennedy has warned he’s open to the prospect of leaving Cronulla if he feels it’s best, after the off-contract fullback scored a double in the Sharks’ 36-22 win over the Warriors.
On a day when the Warriors lost luckless playmaker Luke Metcalf to a hamstring injury, the Sharks recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this year to go back into the NRL top eight.
Kennedy is one of 13 Sharks off contract at year’s end, with his future having been in limbo for the past 18 months after only inking a one-year extension in October.
The 28-year-old opted to stay on that occasion with a heavily pregnant wife and limited options elsewhere, but his avenues could potentially open up now with Perth still yet to sign a No.1 for next year.
“I’ll do whatever is best for my family. I just had a newborn, so it was only right for me to stay that one more year here,” Kennedy said after Sunday’s win.
“I want to keep playing footy. If I stay here, happy days. I love this club. But if I have to do what’s best for my family then I have to do it.”
Realistically, Cronulla must decide if Kennedy is their long-term No.1, or if Liam Ison is the man to replace him.
Complicating the matter is that Ison has not played since rupturing his ACL last March.
What is clear though is that Kennedy is fitting in nicely with a Sharks spine that has continuity on their side.
The fullback finished Sunday with nine tackle busts to go with his two tries, and also put Sione Katoa into space late.
“I’ve still got more in me,” Kennedy said.
“Every player has more in them and I think I have more levels to myself, I just want to keep playing footy and winning more games.”
KL Iro also tormented the Warriors’ right edge with a try and nine tackle busts, while Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall combined nicely.
There were some concerns for the Sharks though, with Jesse Ramien suffering suspected medial ligament damage in his knee and Tom Hazleton hurting his ankle.
The Warriors, meanwhile, hope Metcalf won’t face an extended period on the sidelines after he limped off late.
The star of last season and Dally M leader before he suffered an ACL rupture, Metcalf had only returned from that injury last week against Wests Tigers before Sunday’s blow.
He has a history of hamstring injuries, with Chanel Harris-Tavita in line to replace him.
“He’s going to miss time, but he doesn’t feel like it’s a long-term one with how he’s felt about others in the past,” Warriors coach Andrew Webster said.
Making matters worse for the Warriors is a neck injury for centre Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who was at least cleared of a concussion.
After winning their first three games the Warriors attack was below-par with Metcalf and Tanah Boyd, but Webster was adamant that was down to tough days individually rather than a cohesion issue.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored the first three of the Warriors’ tries, including when he picked off a Trindall pass to go 80 metres and score in front of a chasing Kennedy.
The winger’s third – again from another brilliant corner put down – had the Warriors back to 24-16 down after halftime.
But when Blayke Brailey grubber-kicked out of dummy-half for a chasing Teig Wilton with 30 minutes to go, the game was effectively over.
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