Rampant Raiders overcome scare to consolidate top spot with big win over Eels
If the Raiders were part of any movie, they would be starring in 'Catch Me If You Can'.
The competition leaders' 15th win from 18 starts wasn't as comfortable as the final score suggests though.
With seven rounds to go the Green Machine still have a bye in hand and won't take on any of the current top four, leaving them in the box seat to win a first minor premiership since 1990.
None of Canberra's current crop were alive at the time and coach Ricky Stuart was their halfback.
In front of a big crowd at a fast and dry GIO Stadium on Saturday, they finished strongly to win their eighth in a row.
Jed Stuart was prolific (two tries, three assists) and Joseph Tapine (165 metres) also made an impact.
The Eels were fearless, even without their $13 million man Dylan Brown after coach Jason Ryles dropped him for Joash Papalii.
The 21-year-old young gun did set up a try to Sean Russell but was unable to inspire a tired second-half outfit.
Second-rower Matt Doorey (165 metres) and Zac Lomax (one try, 228m) were also influential for Parramatta.
The Raiders' quick ball movement to the left stunned the visitors, with Stuart strolling over after just four minutes.
After extending their advantage through Zac Hosking, Parramatta sprung to life and found the next three tries to lead 16-12 at the break.
Canberra returned looking to grind through the Eels' defensive line, a stark contrast to their frantic first-half attack.
Jamal Fogarty manufactured the try to put the Raiders back in front when he lofted the ball to Sebastian Kris, who laid it off to a free Stuart for his second of the afternoon.
A late double for Owen Pattie and tries to Simi Sasagi and Ethan Strange put the result beyond doubt.
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'Won't make excuses': Knights coach backs controversial obstruction call
Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien said he had no issue with dual controversial calls which led to a crucial try in Sunday's 44-18 loss to Canberra, agreeing with the video referee that lock Phoenix Crossland wasn't obstructed from making a tackle. Placed third-last, Newcastle entered the second half at Canberra Stadium with a genuine chance of claiming an unlikely victory over the NRL leaders after going try-for-try with the home side in an entertaining opening 40 minutes. Rookie Knights back Fletcher Hunt scored an intercept try seconds before half-time to help level the scores at 18-all after earlier four-pointers from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew. But six minutes after the break, the Raiders were awarded a try after Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite running behind one of his teammates which appeared to prevent Crossland from making a tackle. There was also a dubious decision in the lead-up play, when Xavier Savage passed the ball off the ground despite commentators saying he had been tackled. "I agreed with the Bunker on all of that," O'Brien said. "I reckon we stopped. Phoenix should have kept moving, and I thought the Bunker explained it that way. "I won't make excuses for our guys." Starling's effort was one of four unanswered tries the Raiders scored in the second half, the second of which O'Brien did have an issue with. The home side added 14 points from two converted tries and a penalty goal in the first 15 minutes after the break to take a 32-18 lead, which Newcastle never looked like running down. "I thought in the first half, not everything went to plan but we showed a heap of resolve," O'Brien said. "Not much was fazing us, we stayed in the hunt picking up that try at the back end of the half, and I actually thought the first probably five to 10 minutes of the second half, in terms of field position, it was the best we'd done for a while. "That try where there was some conjecture about us stopping - which I tend to agree with, we stopped on the last play there ... that deflated us a bit. "We've got to be able to overcome that, and we have to own it. "We had four tries on last-plays, and the thing about last-plays is they mask a lot of good things you do in a set, but at the end of the day they're six points. "We had 24 points on last-plays. It's something we have to own and get better at." The result left Newcastle placed 15th, or third-last, ahead of a bye next week before their remaining five games. They will have little to play for other than pride. Coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights did well to match it with the high-flying Raiders for 50-odd minutes. Canberra have now won nine consecutive games. Missing several high-profile players including skipper Kalyn Ponga and centre Bradman Best, Newcastle played an expansive style early on and it paid dividends. But in front of more than 11,000 fans, Canberra ultimately proved too strong, moving a step closer to their first minor premiership since 1990. They showed all their class by scoring multiple tries from largely nothing, and had Newcastle in all sorts in the second half when Jamal Fogarty started launching bombs that flew halfway up Telstra Tower. Controversial calls aside, Newcastle were let down by some costly mistakes and defensive lapses, including in the first half when former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Tyson Gamble and Kyle McCarthy like a hot knife through butter. After their 13th loss in 19 games, Newcastle are now level on 16 competition points with 16th-placed Gold Coast and last-placed South Sydney. Only a far superior for-and-against record is keeping them placed higher. A bye will hand the Knights a further two points, but when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week, they will be a real chance of falling to last on the NRL ladder. That would be a disastrous outcome, even more so considering the form of some of the other sides this year, but O'Brien said his team "wouldn't lay down" on the run home. "They haven't done it all year, and they won't do it for the rest of the year," he said. "I'm proud of that. There's still fight in us." Newcastle's faint finals hopes have been incinerated by the red-hot Raiders on a cold and miserable afternoon in Canberra, the NRL front-runners extending their winning streak to nine consecutive games with a 44-18 victory on Sunday. Still a mathematical chance for an unlikely play-offs spot, Newcastle had plenty to play for against the competition leaders and they produced another brave display at GIO Stadium. Undermanned and coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights played an expansive style early and went try-for-try with the home side in front of 11,068 fans. After tries from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew midway through the opening 40 minutes, Fletcher Hunt's intercept effort seconds before half-time helped Newcastle draw level at 18-all. The Raiders looked vulnerable heading into the second half, but Newcastle fell 32-18 behind inside 20 minutes after the break following a string of costly mistakes and questionable calls. They fought on gallantly despite the deficit but it was the Green Machine's day. The loss, Newcastle's 13th in 19 games this season, leaves them third-last, or 15th, ahead of a bye next week and their remaining five games. But worryingly, they will be a chance of falling to dead last when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week. Newcastle are level on points with the Gold Coast (16th) and South Sydney (17th) but only placed higher than them thanks to a better for-and-against record. The Raiders, meanwhile, continue their march towards the finals. Scoring their ninth-straight win, they are on track to claim their first minor premiership since 1990. In what was a sign of the high-scoring contest to come, the Raiders had the first real attacking chance of the game when Corey Horsbrugh charged down a Tyson Gamble kick and ran 40-odd metres, only to be brought down by the Knights playmaker. Dane Gagai stole the ball back from the Knights after Horsbrugh played the ball to no one, but his efforts were of little advantage as the Raiders scored a few minutes later through fullback Kaeo Weekes, who finished off a break down the left edge. The Knights hit back via Pearce-Paul in the 18th minute, the back-rower running onto an offload from prop Leo Thompson who had found space a few metres away from the try-line. Seven minutes later, former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Newcastle's defence like a hot knife through butter, splitting Gamble and centre Kyle McCarthy with ease on a scrum-play. Trailing 12-6, Newcastle blew a golden chance to hit back when they had an overlap on the left edge a few minutes later, but the play went dead after Gagai threw a cut-out pass to Marzhew and the winger tried to get the ball away before being taken out. Newcastle did well to then force repeat goal-line dropouts, the first of which the Raiders kicked almost 80 metres, but they again blew their opportunity when prop Jack Hetherington was pinned for playing the ball sideways. A Raiders error in the next set gave the Knights possession again, and this time Gagai hit an unmarked Marzhew to bag Newcastle's second. The fullback then converted to make it 12-all five minutes out from half-time. But three minutes later, Canberra showed why they are such a dangerous side, creating something out of nothing down the right flank for Xavier Savage to grab another four-pointer. Canberra looked sure to carry an 18-12 lead into the break but a play after the restart, Hunt snatched an intercept to cross for a shock try on the stroke of half-time, helping Newcastle draw level once more. Six minutes into the second half, the Raiders were awarded a controversial try after hooker Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite Sasagi appearing to obstruct a Knights defender. The video referee also reviewed the lead-up play, where Weekes appeared to have been tackled from a kick but passed the ball off the ground. A looping cut-out pass from Gamble put Dom Young away on the right flank a few minutes later, but the winger was put over the sideline by Raiders half Ethan Strange, who was penalised for a shoulder charge. Newcastle lost the ball in the next set and the Raiders powered downfield for Matthew Timoko to score a 55th-minute try on the right edge. A Jamal Fogharty bomb that looked to fly halfway up Telstra Tower completely bamboozled Gagai at the end of the following set of six, the Knights fullback knocking on before the Raiders gained an offside penalty and took a kick at goal to take a 32-18 lead. Young forward Noah Martin scored his first NRL try in the 67th minute to further the advantage before Timoko crossed for his second five minutes later. Savage was denied a try in the final minute after being found offside from a kick. Young Knights flyer Wilson De Courcey has given NRL coach Adam O'Brien food for thought, bagging his fifth double this season in a NSW Cup loss to the Raiders on Sunday. The 19-year-old winger crossed either side of half-time at Canberra Stadium to help Newcastle stay in the fight, but the Raiders got the upper hand of a tight tussle to claim a 28-16 win. De Courcey's two tries in the nation's capital took his individual haul to 14 in 12 NSW Cup games this year. He has twice bagged doubles previously, along with a hat-trick and a staggering four tries in one game in a 28-24 loss to Parramatta in round 16. His try-scoring form will surely have caught the eye of O'Brien, and could be something for the coach to consider given Newcastle's NRL side is now out of finals contention. The Knights' preferred wingers are Dom Young and Greg Marzhew, and there are other outside-backs likely ahead of De Courcey in the pecking order. But if there are injuries in Newcastle's last five games this year, uncapped De Courcey could come into consideration for a debut. The former Penrith Panthers junior is slated to enter Newcastle's top-30 NRL roster next season. Newcastle host Penrith on Friday week following a bye next weekend. Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien said he had no issue with dual controversial calls which led to a crucial try in Sunday's 44-18 loss to Canberra, agreeing with the video referee that lock Phoenix Crossland wasn't obstructed from making a tackle. Placed third-last, Newcastle entered the second half at Canberra Stadium with a genuine chance of claiming an unlikely victory over the NRL leaders after going try-for-try with the home side in an entertaining opening 40 minutes. Rookie Knights back Fletcher Hunt scored an intercept try seconds before half-time to help level the scores at 18-all after earlier four-pointers from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew. But six minutes after the break, the Raiders were awarded a try after Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite running behind one of his teammates which appeared to prevent Crossland from making a tackle. There was also a dubious decision in the lead-up play, when Xavier Savage passed the ball off the ground despite commentators saying he had been tackled. "I agreed with the Bunker on all of that," O'Brien said. "I reckon we stopped. Phoenix should have kept moving, and I thought the Bunker explained it that way. "I won't make excuses for our guys." Starling's effort was one of four unanswered tries the Raiders scored in the second half, the second of which O'Brien did have an issue with. The home side added 14 points from two converted tries and a penalty goal in the first 15 minutes after the break to take a 32-18 lead, which Newcastle never looked like running down. "I thought in the first half, not everything went to plan but we showed a heap of resolve," O'Brien said. "Not much was fazing us, we stayed in the hunt picking up that try at the back end of the half, and I actually thought the first probably five to 10 minutes of the second half, in terms of field position, it was the best we'd done for a while. "That try where there was some conjecture about us stopping - which I tend to agree with, we stopped on the last play there ... that deflated us a bit. "We've got to be able to overcome that, and we have to own it. "We had four tries on last-plays, and the thing about last-plays is they mask a lot of good things you do in a set, but at the end of the day they're six points. "We had 24 points on last-plays. It's something we have to own and get better at." The result left Newcastle placed 15th, or third-last, ahead of a bye next week before their remaining five games. They will have little to play for other than pride. Coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights did well to match it with the high-flying Raiders for 50-odd minutes. Canberra have now won nine consecutive games. Missing several high-profile players including skipper Kalyn Ponga and centre Bradman Best, Newcastle played an expansive style early on and it paid dividends. But in front of more than 11,000 fans, Canberra ultimately proved too strong, moving a step closer to their first minor premiership since 1990. They showed all their class by scoring multiple tries from largely nothing, and had Newcastle in all sorts in the second half when Jamal Fogarty started launching bombs that flew halfway up Telstra Tower. Controversial calls aside, Newcastle were let down by some costly mistakes and defensive lapses, including in the first half when former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Tyson Gamble and Kyle McCarthy like a hot knife through butter. After their 13th loss in 19 games, Newcastle are now level on 16 competition points with 16th-placed Gold Coast and last-placed South Sydney. Only a far superior for-and-against record is keeping them placed higher. A bye will hand the Knights a further two points, but when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week, they will be a real chance of falling to last on the NRL ladder. That would be a disastrous outcome, even more so considering the form of some of the other sides this year, but O'Brien said his team "wouldn't lay down" on the run home. "They haven't done it all year, and they won't do it for the rest of the year," he said. "I'm proud of that. There's still fight in us." Newcastle's faint finals hopes have been incinerated by the red-hot Raiders on a cold and miserable afternoon in Canberra, the NRL front-runners extending their winning streak to nine consecutive games with a 44-18 victory on Sunday. Still a mathematical chance for an unlikely play-offs spot, Newcastle had plenty to play for against the competition leaders and they produced another brave display at GIO Stadium. Undermanned and coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights played an expansive style early and went try-for-try with the home side in front of 11,068 fans. After tries from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew midway through the opening 40 minutes, Fletcher Hunt's intercept effort seconds before half-time helped Newcastle draw level at 18-all. The Raiders looked vulnerable heading into the second half, but Newcastle fell 32-18 behind inside 20 minutes after the break following a string of costly mistakes and questionable calls. They fought on gallantly despite the deficit but it was the Green Machine's day. The loss, Newcastle's 13th in 19 games this season, leaves them third-last, or 15th, ahead of a bye next week and their remaining five games. But worryingly, they will be a chance of falling to dead last when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week. Newcastle are level on points with the Gold Coast (16th) and South Sydney (17th) but only placed higher than them thanks to a better for-and-against record. The Raiders, meanwhile, continue their march towards the finals. Scoring their ninth-straight win, they are on track to claim their first minor premiership since 1990. In what was a sign of the high-scoring contest to come, the Raiders had the first real attacking chance of the game when Corey Horsbrugh charged down a Tyson Gamble kick and ran 40-odd metres, only to be brought down by the Knights playmaker. Dane Gagai stole the ball back from the Knights after Horsbrugh played the ball to no one, but his efforts were of little advantage as the Raiders scored a few minutes later through fullback Kaeo Weekes, who finished off a break down the left edge. The Knights hit back via Pearce-Paul in the 18th minute, the back-rower running onto an offload from prop Leo Thompson who had found space a few metres away from the try-line. Seven minutes later, former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Newcastle's defence like a hot knife through butter, splitting Gamble and centre Kyle McCarthy with ease on a scrum-play. Trailing 12-6, Newcastle blew a golden chance to hit back when they had an overlap on the left edge a few minutes later, but the play went dead after Gagai threw a cut-out pass to Marzhew and the winger tried to get the ball away before being taken out. Newcastle did well to then force repeat goal-line dropouts, the first of which the Raiders kicked almost 80 metres, but they again blew their opportunity when prop Jack Hetherington was pinned for playing the ball sideways. A Raiders error in the next set gave the Knights possession again, and this time Gagai hit an unmarked Marzhew to bag Newcastle's second. The fullback then converted to make it 12-all five minutes out from half-time. But three minutes later, Canberra showed why they are such a dangerous side, creating something out of nothing down the right flank for Xavier Savage to grab another four-pointer. Canberra looked sure to carry an 18-12 lead into the break but a play after the restart, Hunt snatched an intercept to cross for a shock try on the stroke of half-time, helping Newcastle draw level once more. Six minutes into the second half, the Raiders were awarded a controversial try after hooker Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite Sasagi appearing to obstruct a Knights defender. The video referee also reviewed the lead-up play, where Weekes appeared to have been tackled from a kick but passed the ball off the ground. A looping cut-out pass from Gamble put Dom Young away on the right flank a few minutes later, but the winger was put over the sideline by Raiders half Ethan Strange, who was penalised for a shoulder charge. Newcastle lost the ball in the next set and the Raiders powered downfield for Matthew Timoko to score a 55th-minute try on the right edge. A Jamal Fogharty bomb that looked to fly halfway up Telstra Tower completely bamboozled Gagai at the end of the following set of six, the Knights fullback knocking on before the Raiders gained an offside penalty and took a kick at goal to take a 32-18 lead. Young forward Noah Martin scored his first NRL try in the 67th minute to further the advantage before Timoko crossed for his second five minutes later. Savage was denied a try in the final minute after being found offside from a kick. Young Knights flyer Wilson De Courcey has given NRL coach Adam O'Brien food for thought, bagging his fifth double this season in a NSW Cup loss to the Raiders on Sunday. The 19-year-old winger crossed either side of half-time at Canberra Stadium to help Newcastle stay in the fight, but the Raiders got the upper hand of a tight tussle to claim a 28-16 win. De Courcey's two tries in the nation's capital took his individual haul to 14 in 12 NSW Cup games this year. He has twice bagged doubles previously, along with a hat-trick and a staggering four tries in one game in a 28-24 loss to Parramatta in round 16. His try-scoring form will surely have caught the eye of O'Brien, and could be something for the coach to consider given Newcastle's NRL side is now out of finals contention. The Knights' preferred wingers are Dom Young and Greg Marzhew, and there are other outside-backs likely ahead of De Courcey in the pecking order. But if there are injuries in Newcastle's last five games this year, uncapped De Courcey could come into consideration for a debut. The former Penrith Panthers junior is slated to enter Newcastle's top-30 NRL roster next season. Newcastle host Penrith on Friday week following a bye next weekend. Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien said he had no issue with dual controversial calls which led to a crucial try in Sunday's 44-18 loss to Canberra, agreeing with the video referee that lock Phoenix Crossland wasn't obstructed from making a tackle. Placed third-last, Newcastle entered the second half at Canberra Stadium with a genuine chance of claiming an unlikely victory over the NRL leaders after going try-for-try with the home side in an entertaining opening 40 minutes. Rookie Knights back Fletcher Hunt scored an intercept try seconds before half-time to help level the scores at 18-all after earlier four-pointers from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew. But six minutes after the break, the Raiders were awarded a try after Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite running behind one of his teammates which appeared to prevent Crossland from making a tackle. There was also a dubious decision in the lead-up play, when Xavier Savage passed the ball off the ground despite commentators saying he had been tackled. "I agreed with the Bunker on all of that," O'Brien said. "I reckon we stopped. Phoenix should have kept moving, and I thought the Bunker explained it that way. "I won't make excuses for our guys." Starling's effort was one of four unanswered tries the Raiders scored in the second half, the second of which O'Brien did have an issue with. The home side added 14 points from two converted tries and a penalty goal in the first 15 minutes after the break to take a 32-18 lead, which Newcastle never looked like running down. "I thought in the first half, not everything went to plan but we showed a heap of resolve," O'Brien said. "Not much was fazing us, we stayed in the hunt picking up that try at the back end of the half, and I actually thought the first probably five to 10 minutes of the second half, in terms of field position, it was the best we'd done for a while. "That try where there was some conjecture about us stopping - which I tend to agree with, we stopped on the last play there ... that deflated us a bit. "We've got to be able to overcome that, and we have to own it. "We had four tries on last-plays, and the thing about last-plays is they mask a lot of good things you do in a set, but at the end of the day they're six points. "We had 24 points on last-plays. It's something we have to own and get better at." The result left Newcastle placed 15th, or third-last, ahead of a bye next week before their remaining five games. They will have little to play for other than pride. Coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights did well to match it with the high-flying Raiders for 50-odd minutes. Canberra have now won nine consecutive games. Missing several high-profile players including skipper Kalyn Ponga and centre Bradman Best, Newcastle played an expansive style early on and it paid dividends. But in front of more than 11,000 fans, Canberra ultimately proved too strong, moving a step closer to their first minor premiership since 1990. They showed all their class by scoring multiple tries from largely nothing, and had Newcastle in all sorts in the second half when Jamal Fogarty started launching bombs that flew halfway up Telstra Tower. Controversial calls aside, Newcastle were let down by some costly mistakes and defensive lapses, including in the first half when former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Tyson Gamble and Kyle McCarthy like a hot knife through butter. After their 13th loss in 19 games, Newcastle are now level on 16 competition points with 16th-placed Gold Coast and last-placed South Sydney. Only a far superior for-and-against record is keeping them placed higher. A bye will hand the Knights a further two points, but when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week, they will be a real chance of falling to last on the NRL ladder. That would be a disastrous outcome, even more so considering the form of some of the other sides this year, but O'Brien said his team "wouldn't lay down" on the run home. "They haven't done it all year, and they won't do it for the rest of the year," he said. "I'm proud of that. There's still fight in us." Newcastle's faint finals hopes have been incinerated by the red-hot Raiders on a cold and miserable afternoon in Canberra, the NRL front-runners extending their winning streak to nine consecutive games with a 44-18 victory on Sunday. Still a mathematical chance for an unlikely play-offs spot, Newcastle had plenty to play for against the competition leaders and they produced another brave display at GIO Stadium. Undermanned and coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights played an expansive style early and went try-for-try with the home side in front of 11,068 fans. After tries from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew midway through the opening 40 minutes, Fletcher Hunt's intercept effort seconds before half-time helped Newcastle draw level at 18-all. The Raiders looked vulnerable heading into the second half, but Newcastle fell 32-18 behind inside 20 minutes after the break following a string of costly mistakes and questionable calls. They fought on gallantly despite the deficit but it was the Green Machine's day. The loss, Newcastle's 13th in 19 games this season, leaves them third-last, or 15th, ahead of a bye next week and their remaining five games. But worryingly, they will be a chance of falling to dead last when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week. Newcastle are level on points with the Gold Coast (16th) and South Sydney (17th) but only placed higher than them thanks to a better for-and-against record. The Raiders, meanwhile, continue their march towards the finals. Scoring their ninth-straight win, they are on track to claim their first minor premiership since 1990. In what was a sign of the high-scoring contest to come, the Raiders had the first real attacking chance of the game when Corey Horsbrugh charged down a Tyson Gamble kick and ran 40-odd metres, only to be brought down by the Knights playmaker. Dane Gagai stole the ball back from the Knights after Horsbrugh played the ball to no one, but his efforts were of little advantage as the Raiders scored a few minutes later through fullback Kaeo Weekes, who finished off a break down the left edge. The Knights hit back via Pearce-Paul in the 18th minute, the back-rower running onto an offload from prop Leo Thompson who had found space a few metres away from the try-line. Seven minutes later, former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Newcastle's defence like a hot knife through butter, splitting Gamble and centre Kyle McCarthy with ease on a scrum-play. Trailing 12-6, Newcastle blew a golden chance to hit back when they had an overlap on the left edge a few minutes later, but the play went dead after Gagai threw a cut-out pass to Marzhew and the winger tried to get the ball away before being taken out. Newcastle did well to then force repeat goal-line dropouts, the first of which the Raiders kicked almost 80 metres, but they again blew their opportunity when prop Jack Hetherington was pinned for playing the ball sideways. A Raiders error in the next set gave the Knights possession again, and this time Gagai hit an unmarked Marzhew to bag Newcastle's second. The fullback then converted to make it 12-all five minutes out from half-time. But three minutes later, Canberra showed why they are such a dangerous side, creating something out of nothing down the right flank for Xavier Savage to grab another four-pointer. Canberra looked sure to carry an 18-12 lead into the break but a play after the restart, Hunt snatched an intercept to cross for a shock try on the stroke of half-time, helping Newcastle draw level once more. Six minutes into the second half, the Raiders were awarded a controversial try after hooker Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite Sasagi appearing to obstruct a Knights defender. The video referee also reviewed the lead-up play, where Weekes appeared to have been tackled from a kick but passed the ball off the ground. A looping cut-out pass from Gamble put Dom Young away on the right flank a few minutes later, but the winger was put over the sideline by Raiders half Ethan Strange, who was penalised for a shoulder charge. Newcastle lost the ball in the next set and the Raiders powered downfield for Matthew Timoko to score a 55th-minute try on the right edge. A Jamal Fogharty bomb that looked to fly halfway up Telstra Tower completely bamboozled Gagai at the end of the following set of six, the Knights fullback knocking on before the Raiders gained an offside penalty and took a kick at goal to take a 32-18 lead. Young forward Noah Martin scored his first NRL try in the 67th minute to further the advantage before Timoko crossed for his second five minutes later. Savage was denied a try in the final minute after being found offside from a kick. Young Knights flyer Wilson De Courcey has given NRL coach Adam O'Brien food for thought, bagging his fifth double this season in a NSW Cup loss to the Raiders on Sunday. The 19-year-old winger crossed either side of half-time at Canberra Stadium to help Newcastle stay in the fight, but the Raiders got the upper hand of a tight tussle to claim a 28-16 win. De Courcey's two tries in the nation's capital took his individual haul to 14 in 12 NSW Cup games this year. He has twice bagged doubles previously, along with a hat-trick and a staggering four tries in one game in a 28-24 loss to Parramatta in round 16. His try-scoring form will surely have caught the eye of O'Brien, and could be something for the coach to consider given Newcastle's NRL side is now out of finals contention. The Knights' preferred wingers are Dom Young and Greg Marzhew, and there are other outside-backs likely ahead of De Courcey in the pecking order. But if there are injuries in Newcastle's last five games this year, uncapped De Courcey could come into consideration for a debut. The former Penrith Panthers junior is slated to enter Newcastle's top-30 NRL roster next season. Newcastle host Penrith on Friday week following a bye next weekend. Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien said he had no issue with dual controversial calls which led to a crucial try in Sunday's 44-18 loss to Canberra, agreeing with the video referee that lock Phoenix Crossland wasn't obstructed from making a tackle. Placed third-last, Newcastle entered the second half at Canberra Stadium with a genuine chance of claiming an unlikely victory over the NRL leaders after going try-for-try with the home side in an entertaining opening 40 minutes. Rookie Knights back Fletcher Hunt scored an intercept try seconds before half-time to help level the scores at 18-all after earlier four-pointers from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew. But six minutes after the break, the Raiders were awarded a try after Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite running behind one of his teammates which appeared to prevent Crossland from making a tackle. There was also a dubious decision in the lead-up play, when Xavier Savage passed the ball off the ground despite commentators saying he had been tackled. "I agreed with the Bunker on all of that," O'Brien said. "I reckon we stopped. Phoenix should have kept moving, and I thought the Bunker explained it that way. "I won't make excuses for our guys." Starling's effort was one of four unanswered tries the Raiders scored in the second half, the second of which O'Brien did have an issue with. The home side added 14 points from two converted tries and a penalty goal in the first 15 minutes after the break to take a 32-18 lead, which Newcastle never looked like running down. "I thought in the first half, not everything went to plan but we showed a heap of resolve," O'Brien said. "Not much was fazing us, we stayed in the hunt picking up that try at the back end of the half, and I actually thought the first probably five to 10 minutes of the second half, in terms of field position, it was the best we'd done for a while. "That try where there was some conjecture about us stopping - which I tend to agree with, we stopped on the last play there ... that deflated us a bit. "We've got to be able to overcome that, and we have to own it. "We had four tries on last-plays, and the thing about last-plays is they mask a lot of good things you do in a set, but at the end of the day they're six points. "We had 24 points on last-plays. It's something we have to own and get better at." The result left Newcastle placed 15th, or third-last, ahead of a bye next week before their remaining five games. They will have little to play for other than pride. Coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights did well to match it with the high-flying Raiders for 50-odd minutes. Canberra have now won nine consecutive games. Missing several high-profile players including skipper Kalyn Ponga and centre Bradman Best, Newcastle played an expansive style early on and it paid dividends. But in front of more than 11,000 fans, Canberra ultimately proved too strong, moving a step closer to their first minor premiership since 1990. They showed all their class by scoring multiple tries from largely nothing, and had Newcastle in all sorts in the second half when Jamal Fogarty started launching bombs that flew halfway up Telstra Tower. Controversial calls aside, Newcastle were let down by some costly mistakes and defensive lapses, including in the first half when former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Tyson Gamble and Kyle McCarthy like a hot knife through butter. After their 13th loss in 19 games, Newcastle are now level on 16 competition points with 16th-placed Gold Coast and last-placed South Sydney. Only a far superior for-and-against record is keeping them placed higher. A bye will hand the Knights a further two points, but when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week, they will be a real chance of falling to last on the NRL ladder. That would be a disastrous outcome, even more so considering the form of some of the other sides this year, but O'Brien said his team "wouldn't lay down" on the run home. "They haven't done it all year, and they won't do it for the rest of the year," he said. "I'm proud of that. There's still fight in us." Newcastle's faint finals hopes have been incinerated by the red-hot Raiders on a cold and miserable afternoon in Canberra, the NRL front-runners extending their winning streak to nine consecutive games with a 44-18 victory on Sunday. Still a mathematical chance for an unlikely play-offs spot, Newcastle had plenty to play for against the competition leaders and they produced another brave display at GIO Stadium. Undermanned and coming off a last-minute loss to the Warriors last week, the Knights played an expansive style early and went try-for-try with the home side in front of 11,068 fans. After tries from Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew midway through the opening 40 minutes, Fletcher Hunt's intercept effort seconds before half-time helped Newcastle draw level at 18-all. The Raiders looked vulnerable heading into the second half, but Newcastle fell 32-18 behind inside 20 minutes after the break following a string of costly mistakes and questionable calls. They fought on gallantly despite the deficit but it was the Green Machine's day. The loss, Newcastle's 13th in 19 games this season, leaves them third-last, or 15th, ahead of a bye next week and their remaining five games. But worryingly, they will be a chance of falling to dead last when they return to face Penrith at home on Friday week. Newcastle are level on points with the Gold Coast (16th) and South Sydney (17th) but only placed higher than them thanks to a better for-and-against record. The Raiders, meanwhile, continue their march towards the finals. Scoring their ninth-straight win, they are on track to claim their first minor premiership since 1990. In what was a sign of the high-scoring contest to come, the Raiders had the first real attacking chance of the game when Corey Horsbrugh charged down a Tyson Gamble kick and ran 40-odd metres, only to be brought down by the Knights playmaker. Dane Gagai stole the ball back from the Knights after Horsbrugh played the ball to no one, but his efforts were of little advantage as the Raiders scored a few minutes later through fullback Kaeo Weekes, who finished off a break down the left edge. The Knights hit back via Pearce-Paul in the 18th minute, the back-rower running onto an offload from prop Leo Thompson who had found space a few metres away from the try-line. Seven minutes later, former Knight Simi Sasagi cut through Newcastle's defence like a hot knife through butter, splitting Gamble and centre Kyle McCarthy with ease on a scrum-play. Trailing 12-6, Newcastle blew a golden chance to hit back when they had an overlap on the left edge a few minutes later, but the play went dead after Gagai threw a cut-out pass to Marzhew and the winger tried to get the ball away before being taken out. Newcastle did well to then force repeat goal-line dropouts, the first of which the Raiders kicked almost 80 metres, but they again blew their opportunity when prop Jack Hetherington was pinned for playing the ball sideways. A Raiders error in the next set gave the Knights possession again, and this time Gagai hit an unmarked Marzhew to bag Newcastle's second. The fullback then converted to make it 12-all five minutes out from half-time. But three minutes later, Canberra showed why they are such a dangerous side, creating something out of nothing down the right flank for Xavier Savage to grab another four-pointer. Canberra looked sure to carry an 18-12 lead into the break but a play after the restart, Hunt snatched an intercept to cross for a shock try on the stroke of half-time, helping Newcastle draw level once more. Six minutes into the second half, the Raiders were awarded a controversial try after hooker Tom Starling raced over from close range, despite Sasagi appearing to obstruct a Knights defender. The video referee also reviewed the lead-up play, where Weekes appeared to have been tackled from a kick but passed the ball off the ground. A looping cut-out pass from Gamble put Dom Young away on the right flank a few minutes later, but the winger was put over the sideline by Raiders half Ethan Strange, who was penalised for a shoulder charge. Newcastle lost the ball in the next set and the Raiders powered downfield for Matthew Timoko to score a 55th-minute try on the right edge. A Jamal Fogharty bomb that looked to fly halfway up Telstra Tower completely bamboozled Gagai at the end of the following set of six, the Knights fullback knocking on before the Raiders gained an offside penalty and took a kick at goal to take a 32-18 lead. Young forward Noah Martin scored his first NRL try in the 67th minute to further the advantage before Timoko crossed for his second five minutes later. Savage was denied a try in the final minute after being found offside from a kick. Young Knights flyer Wilson De Courcey has given NRL coach Adam O'Brien food for thought, bagging his fifth double this season in a NSW Cup loss to the Raiders on Sunday. The 19-year-old winger crossed either side of half-time at Canberra Stadium to help Newcastle stay in the fight, but the Raiders got the upper hand of a tight tussle to claim a 28-16 win. De Courcey's two tries in the nation's capital took his individual haul to 14 in 12 NSW Cup games this year. He has twice bagged doubles previously, along with a hat-trick and a staggering four tries in one game in a 28-24 loss to Parramatta in round 16. His try-scoring form will surely have caught the eye of O'Brien, and could be something for the coach to consider given Newcastle's NRL side is now out of finals contention. The Knights' preferred wingers are Dom Young and Greg Marzhew, and there are other outside-backs likely ahead of De Courcey in the pecking order. But if there are injuries in Newcastle's last five games this year, uncapped De Courcey could come into consideration for a debut. The former Penrith Panthers junior is slated to enter Newcastle's top-30 NRL roster next season. Newcastle host Penrith on Friday week following a bye next weekend.
ABC News
18 hours ago
- ABC News
NRL live updates: Canberra Raiders vs Newcastle Knights, Canterbury Bulldogs vs Manly Sea Eagles
Round 21 of the NRL season continues on Sunday with Canberra hosting Newcastle in the first of two matches this afternoon. The Raiders will be looking to secure their grip on the top spot, while the Knights will try to pull off an upset despite missing a host of stars due to injury. Later, Canterbury will take on Manly at the Sydney Football Stadium in a match that commemorates 30 years since the two sides met in the 1995 grand final. Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Footy prodigy on brink of NRL deal becomes big-shot bikie before incredible transformation in jail
Owen Turnbull could have been an NRL star but he threw it all away for booze, cash and women. The former Canberra Raiders and Parramatta Eels junior makes no bones about it — he was 'a waste of talent'. 'I was on the cusp of the NRL and I threw it all away for the bikie life,' he said. 'There was a lot of pressure from my dad to play footy and I guess I just turned my back on it. I was young and naive, I got into that mindset of doing all the things like drinking and girls that I felt like I'd missed out on because of footy.' That pivotal decision sent Turnbull down a dark path into a world of drug dealing, violence, and eventually a jail cell. At the time he thought he'd found his people — bikie brothers who had his back. 'My first ever line of cocaine was with my president at the time. I was too scared to do it. I watched a doco back in the day and a guy had his first line and he died from it, so I was always too scared to do that.' But four years after he joined the Rebels he became 'really dependent'. 'I was a broke bum for a lot of years until I started hustling and making money with the pingas, all the cocaine, bottles of Valium. I was making a killing and then, yeah, we're doing like an ounce a week of cocaine.' Turnbull defected from the Rebels and became sergeant at arms of the Canberra chapter of the Nomads. He had his share of enemies. 'I was on social media back and forth and this guy was warning he was gonna come and shoot up my house and I was like 'whatever'. 'I was laying in bed with my girlfriend and I looked out the door and there were flames. I opened the door and this kid with balaclava was standing there with a gun I opened the door and said 'go on then c**t' ad he did it. 'It's funny to look back now, it was only pellets but it still stung and burned and he ran away and there I was putting out the first with a shoe in my undied.' What wasn't so comical was the second time a gunman came after him. 'It was a real wake up call. They came with pistols and shot up the place. It went through my parents' room and thankfully my mum was overseas at the time. 'For a couple of hours police did all the measurements of where the bullets went and one of the trajectory was that it would have hit my mum while she was sleeping. Yep, that was a big wakeup call.' Turnbull said his time in jail for drug trafficking made him realise he didn't belong there. He needed to find a way to turn things around. Watching inmates shooting up ice, others behaving like grubs, he thought 'this is not me, I grew up a nerd, playing videos and watching cartoons'. That's when he decided to keep his head down, get away from the bikies who never really had his back and just do his time. 'I was at the right place at the right time when I got out of prison,' he said. However someone must have seen the potential in him. 'One of the cops that arrested me asked if I wanted to do a gang exit thing with QLD police.' The exit program - the first of its kind - was called Project Kairos. It helped members of outlaw motorcycle gangs to leave their criminal lifestyle and reintegrate into society. 'I did that and the detective helped me so much. I then got invited to talk in Melbourne in front of American DEA agents and I've done other talks for police and NRL.' Today Turnbull is making an honest living - but the road to being a clean skin isn't always a smooth one. 'I've gone from a bikie to a nerd. I tried to get into certain jobs but I had trouble getting work places. So since August last year I have focused on my card business. Ive got thousands of Pokemon and sport cards and so I decided to really focus on turning that into a business. 'The first one I sold was a very rare Lebron James rookie card.' It seems police were not convinced Turnbull would stay on the straight and narrow. In April 2023 police raided his home, believing he was selling drugs again. 'I had a bedroom full of my cards, the business was registered so it all sorted out but they thought my text messages about rookie cards, Lebron James and things were some kind of code... it was mad.' Turnbull has a message for anyone thinking gang life is glamorous, but also for young footy players about to come into money on their first contracts. 'A lot of the boys have just got their first contracts, like I can tell them what to watch out for, like don't get used, be cautious of who you're hanging around with. 'Be careful of who you are taking photos with, uploading on social media, like just basically stuff that what I went through. 'Be careful who you trust because it's really easy to throw away your opportunity.'
