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The Wests Tigers have climbed into the top eight with a 34-28 Magic Round win over the Dragons, which was their fifth of the NRL season.
The Dragons’ fortunes were summed up when Jaydn Su’A dropped the ball over the line in a contender for the worst bombed try in history – as Jahream Bula raced away in a costly 12-point turnaround play.
It was a thrilling finish as the Dragons twice threatened comebacks in the second half, but the Tigers dug deep to make it back-to-back wins.
Earlier, birthday boy Fletcher Sharpe has starred with a hat-trick as the Knights snapped a five-game losing streak with a dominant 30-4 win over South Sydney.
Turning 21 on Saturday, Sharpe wasted little time finding the scoresheet for his side, pouncing on a kick from Kayln Ponga in just the fourth minute to put his side ahead. He brought up his treble just after the hour mark as Newcastle ended their five-game losing streak.
In the other game, the Cowboys staged a second-half fightback, but fell short against a Luke Metcalf-inspired Warriors 30-26.
The Tigers are a different team in 2025; not only has the win over the Dragons moved them into the top eight with a 5-4 record, but they are playing with plenty of heart and confidence.
After conceding the opening try, they soon took control of the first half, forcing their opponents into mistakes and taking a 26-10 halftime lead.
They then had to hold off a fightback in the second half when the Dragons scored two quick tries and looked to be gaining momentum.
In previous seasons, the Tigers may have crumbled in this situation, but this year they held their nerve to grind out the win.
It can be partly put down to Jarome Luai, whose form is contagious. Not only did he come up with two first-half try assists, but dominated with his boot, making 326 metres from his 13 kicks.
The Tigers celebrate. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
But it’s his leadership that is having the biggest impact on his teammates, trying to impart his experience, belief and attitude on his colleagues.
“We didn’t start the way we wanted to, especially in the second half, but in the moment, in the game, you try not to find yourself looking at the scoreboard, you try to find ways to get the momentum back,” Luai told Fox League, post-game.
“The boys dug deep, it was a scrappy win, but we’ll take the two points.
“Everyone’s got their own battle out there individually; I’m just encouraging the boys to back themselves, win their battles, win their challenges and stay present in the game.
“We love to fight this team.”
Finals aren’t won in April, but the Tigers are well and truly a team on the rise, and with the fight they are showing, they could very well be playing in September.
It looked like Shane Flanagan would have been vindicated for his big call to drop Lachlan Ilias and bring in youngster Lyhkan King-Togia, who turns 20 later this month.
The new halfback set up the opening try to Dylan Egan less than five minutes into the match.
But the game slipped away from the Red V, as poor discipline that has plagued them in recent weeks returned, and the Tigers scored three of the next four points.
The biggest shock of the night was when Jaydn Su’A dropped the ball over the line in a contender for the worst bombed try in history.
It meant they trailed 26-10 at the break, then blew another soon after when Kyle Flanagan tried a long pass to Tyrell Sloan, only to hoist it straight over the sideline.
Jacob Liddle scored a double to cut the margin to six, including another assist from King-Togia, who Flanagan promised will get more time in the No.7 jersey after doing “a good job”.
But the Dragons continued to shoot themselves in the foot late in the game, blowing another when Val Holmes made two errors within minutes to blow attacking opportunities.
“I loved in the second half that we showed some grit to come back and get them,” coach Flanagan said.
“We had opportunities to nail it at the back end and we just didn’t do it.
“Obviously, what happened just before halftime ended up being the turning point.
“It would’ve been 20-16, but it wasn’t to be.
“But I also think that we need to have a bit more steel about us right through.”
To make matters worse, Emre Guler appeared to pick up a dislocated shoulder, leaving the game just before the hour mark.
Jaydn Su’A. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
He’s no Shaun Johnson or Stacy Jones – yet – but it was the Luke Metcalf show in the first half for the New Zealand side against the Cowboys.
The Warriors scored 28 points in the first half, and the halfback had 16 of them – bringing back memories of his predecessors.
“He is stamping his authority on this competition,” Former Bulldog Mick Ennis said on Fox League.
“What a statement from the little Warriors halfback. Dominating the Cowboys and dominating Magic Round – Luke Metcalf, what a player.”
He capped off a double inside 26 minutes and had seven tackle breaks from his nine runs for 150 metres in the first 40.
When he wasn’t scoring, he was setting up tries, with two assists for the first half.
“He’s carved them up in the first 40,” Mal Meninga said on Fox League.
“He’s having a fantastic game, he is all over the place.”
It wasn’t just in attack, but he also came up with a massive tackle that denied Murray Taulagi what would have been a match-levelling try, taking his foot over the sideline.
Amid a five-game losing run, and a struggle for points, Newcastle have been desperate for Kalyn Ponga to show his talent. Perhaps South Sydney may have played him back into form.
Helped by the return of Newcastle’s star forward Jacob Saifiti, he took control of the game with a perfect kick for Fletcher Sharpe to sprint through and score the game’s opening try.
In addition to his 16 runs for 134 metres, the Knights skipper came up with two line break assists, two try assists and three tackle breaks.
Shaun Johnson was not just impressed with Ponga’s ability, but his maturity to stand up as a leader of the side.
“His energy is contagious,” Johnson said. “Apart from that first touch with a left-foot grubber, it’s also been the support crew; they’ve stepped up as well.
Kalyn Ponga and Fletcher Sharpe of the Knights. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
“I think that he hasn’t tried to overplay either.
“Seeing him in these conditions in particular, just finding the pass and letting his outside men do their work and at the other end, coming up with big plays like getting out of his in goal and doing try-saving tackles and getting the defensive splits right – there’s a lot to like about where he is at.”
Ponga left the field in the 76th minute after coming in with a rib cartilage injury, but it was precautionary and the game was already put to bed.
But it was his best performance since the Knights last recorded a win back in round two against the Dolphins, and one that would have the Maroons’ coach Billy Slater, a little more excited.
After producing 38 unanswered points after the break last week against the Titans, few were discounting the Cowboys despite being 28-12 down at halftime during Magic Round.
It was so nearly a case of history repeating, with North Queensland scoring three tries in the space of seven minutes and so very nearly had another.
Taulagi looked to have crossed in the corner that would have levelled the scores at 30-all, however, on the replay it showed Metcalf’s tackle dragged the winger’s foot over the sideline.
Despite missing out on that four-pointer, the Cowboys had all the momentum with 15 minutes to go, and a tackle from Jeremiah Nanai brought a bigger celebration than any of the tries.
However, the comeback fell short, the Cowboys not able to find the line again. With five tries each, it came down to goal kicking, with the North Queenslanders missing two conversions.
But Todd Payten would have been proud of the defensive effort, keeping the Kiwis to just two points after half time. He just needs to get them firing a little bit earlier.
Even before the heavy rain fell at Suncorp Stadium, South Sydney were being absolutely dominated by Newcastle, whose highest score since Round 2 was just 14 points.
In Magic Round, when Jack Cogger crossed, the Knights had 18 points in the first 15 minutes.
Missing eight of their top squad due to injury – including Cody Walker, Jack Wighton and Jamie Humphreys – and Latrell Mitchell through suspension, it was a disjointed effort from Wayne Bennett’s side.
At half-time, Souths had made 19 missed tackles to eight from Newcastle, and by the end of the game, it was 50 to 30.
Red and Green are now in the midst of a four-match losing ru,n and while there are plenty of excuses, they just lacked direction. It took until the 64th minute for South Sydney to find the scoreboard, when Isaiah Tass crossed in the corner.
Bennett is known as being a man of few words, but even by his standards, he was left speechless describing the loss.
“Not very good,” the master coach gave an assessment of his team’s display.
“You ask me questions about what everyone sees, so I don’t want to go into a lot of detail about it. The start was poor, 18 points down pretty early, and after that we weren’t too bad.”
He was even a bit frosty with one reporter, who questioned how to fix the team’s attitude.
“How do I fix your attitude? I can’t,” Bennett responded. “Can I fix your attitude?
“I can’t. You may think I can, but I can’t. It’s personal.”
Bennett is only guaranteeing Mitchell’s return next week from suspension, with all his injury list still in doubt.
– with AAP
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