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Jacob Preson looking threatening outside Lachie Galvin on the right edge but bizarre play from Canterbury when they swing the other way.
Clunky attack with Galvin and Burton out of sync before they’re caught without a dummy-half at the play-the-ball. Dragons then go on the attack and they’ll get an extra set after Sam Hughes takes Clint Gutherson out of a kick chase. Dragons take the shot at goal and Valentine Holmes has first points of the game.
Bulldogs 0 Dragons 2
Third and final game of this Vegas business is underway. Matt Burton sends it long and Dragons have first use. Canterbury’s defence is full of venom early. Not a big set in terms of yardage before a long clearing kick by new Dragons No.7 Daniel Atkinson.
Bulldogs 0 Dragons 0
He has played just one season of NRL and, at 21, Hamish Stewart has already been anointed by St George Illawarra’s on-field leaders as a captain in waiting.
“I think he’d be a great future captain of the Dragons,” co-captain Damien Cook said.
Future leader: St George Illawarra’s Hamish StewartCredit: St George Illawarra Dragons
Fellow co-captain Clint Gutherson agreed: “Hamish bleeds red and white, his dad [Scott] has been here [involved with the club] for 25 years, he’s been around this club since he was six years old, and they are the type of players you want leading clubs – it’s definitely in the future for him.”
Stewart was taken aback when told of the leadership talk from the two senior players.
“It flatters me to hear that,” said Stewart, who tried not to make a mess of his poached eggs and avocado when sitting down with this masthead for breakfast in Las Vegas.
“Obviously, I’d love to do it, I’ve still got a lot to learn, and if it comes, it comes.”
Read the full story here.
Perhaps not. Murray Taulagi has come up with an intercept in Knights territory. Two minutes left. Cowboys attacking, and again, it’s side-to-side stuff.
Newcastle scramble and shove them toward the sideline. Phoenix Crossland is hanging around for the desperate pass that’s flung back infield and yes, that will actually be the win now.
Fulltime – Knights deserving winners. Kalyn Ponga brilliant, so too Fletcher Sharpe while he was on the field. Fingers and toes crossed on his knee injury. Cowboys need to sort their attack out.
Knights 28 Cowboys 18
Yep, there it is. Love to see a front-rower finish it off. Trey Mooney, in Knights colours after 25 games for Canberra, is on the spot for when Sandon Smith’s crossfield kick comes down.
Dom Young was always winning the contest in the air, found Mooney and the Knights have a 10-point lead and the upset in their sights.
A nod to Winter Olympics correspondent Billie Eder, the only Herald tipster to see this one coming. Well done Billie, feel free to come back to work sometime soon.
Knights 28 Cowboys 18
Kalyn Ponga has been flattened by Braidon Burns. Burns has rushed in given the threat of Newcastle busting down the left.
He’s read it well but got the contact wrong with Ponga falling and hit the Knights No.1 in the head. He’s on report and in the bin. Can’t argue with that. And now they’re down to 12, this could be the game for Newcastle.
Knights 22 Cowboys 18
Jason Taumalolo is running with the energy of years past and the Cowboys are coming home strong. They run left on the last tackle and only a knocked down pass by Newcastle keeps them at bay.
It’s another scrum 10 metres out though. And they butcher it. A tap on down the left goes awry, it’s sideways play and Murray Taulagi is too casual getting the ball back in as he dances along the sideline.
Knights 22 Cowboys 18
Reed Mahoney is starting to look threatening out of dummy-half. This should be a cracking last 20 minutes. Tipping the pace of this contest will really start to show and we’ll see a lot of attack. Tom Dearden and Kalyn Ponga the little men to decide it.
Kalyn Ponga has been at his brilliant best in Vegas.Credit: Getty Images
And right there, North Queensland start to get something going down the right. But Braidon Burns coughs it up cold. Newcastle get some handy field position to start this set. Bradman Best in turn bombs the left-side shift with a risky pass.
Knights 22 Cowboys 18
