Kalyn Ponga hobbled as Newcastle outplayed by Canterbury in 36-12 loss
Newcastle’s NRL woes have been compounded by a fresh injury scare for star fullback Kalyn Ponga in a limp 36-12 loss to Canterbury.
The Knights were thumped in Sydney on Sunday, with Bulldog Bronson Xerri scoring his first try since 2019 in his comeback from a four-year drug ban and Ponga adding a potential foot injury to an ongoing hip issue.
The result improved the new-look Bulldogs to 3-4 while the Knights - fifth after the regular season last year - fell to 2-5 after another late selection call failed to spark them.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Ponga, hoping to return to the State of Origin fray for Queensland this season, has battled through a hip injury this season and was in obvious pain when returning for the second half.
He eventually limped off for good and stepped into a moon boot after Bulldogs utility Bailey Hayward raced from nowhere to plant an in-goal grubber under the Newcastle co-captain’s nose.
That made it 24-6, before Josh Addo-Carr flew expertly to score in the right corner and seal the contest with more than 20 minutes left.
Newcastle made a late personnel move by demoting five-eighth Jack Cogger to the NSW Cup and bringing Tyson Gamble back into the starting side to partner halfback Jackson Hastings.
Their fourth halves change in seven games - that pair began the season together - amounted to little though, the Knights’ kicking game easily trumped by the boot of Bulldogs playmaker Matt Burton.
The left-footer managed a 40-20 that led to Jacob Kiraz’s early try, with the Bulldogs defusing every Newcastle kick and the Knights making just three line breaks.
Dylan Lucas scored for Newcastle off a flat Gamble pass but Greg Marzhew knocked on from the restart and Xerri, back in the NRL this year after a positive test for testosterone in November 2019, had the instant reply.
Key off-season signing Stephen Crichton added some flourish to the occasion when he completed a wonderful team try down the right flank before tempers flared in the final minutes.
Prolonged niggling eventually led to Jack Hetherington being sin-binned, with Bulldog Reed Mahoney joining him after he cheekily waved the Knights forward goodbye.
