Lino lines one up after the whistle. Nails it. FULLTIME.
All hail the King! Josh King gets his first in his 59th game of first grade.
That sums up the Sharks night. Kennedy tried to go short and it went about 3 metres.
Pearce chips one into the corner and trapped the Sharks again. Dropout.
Tracy toes through and gets six more. Sharks trying to get some late consolation.
Connor Tracy slices through, tries to kick for his fullback but the Knights got back there.
Lino converts.
Ponga puts the exclamation point on the performance. He took the ball in space and strolled through.
Lino lines up another, fades it wide.
Knights have threatened that all night and get their reward. Pearce held the ball up perfectly and Fitzgibbon rolls over.
Sharks go short and Goodwin knocks on trying to reel it in.
That was a tough look for Kennedy. The ball came on the bounce to Tuala, he summed up the situation and toed through.. forcing the error from Kennedy.
We take that back. Hamlin-Uele got a sanction. He is now on report. He joins Townsend, Rudolph and Graham on the charge sheet.
PENALTY KNIGHTS! Lifting tackle against Ramien. No charge there. Just the penalty.
Add another casualty. Youngster Phoenix Crossland was caught in the wrong position trying to tackle and whacks his head on the ground. His night should be over as well.
Knights go close again! Kurt Mann turns chaser, grabs it and tries to find someone, Fitzgibbon loses it.
Knights load the shortside and Lachlan Fitzgibbon tries to crawl over, loses it.
Sharks rucking it out and Briton Nikora looks to have dropped it. CHALLENGE.. and it looks a simple drop. Confirmed. UNSUCCESSFUL.
Goodwin converts.
Young half Connor Tracey is on and pokes through to score.
There is some high emotion in this game now. Sharks attack the line and get a repeat set. Forward Toby Rudolph has become Toby Boodolph.
PENALTY SHARKS! Knights aiming up and get caught then another ten for mouthing off.
PENALTY KNIGHTS! After all that, Knights get the whistle.
Wow! Chad Townsend has been sent off! Refere said he hit him high and made no attempt to wrap.
Sharks have tried to find their way back into the contest but the bombs have been easy dealt with by Ponga. The fullback smartly got a toe back in goal. 20 tap and Townsend comes flying at Ponga! The teams come together like they stole a kebab late at night. Now we'll have the result.
Mitch Pearce just pushed through the line and gets the Knights on the front foot. The kick doesn't match though as Hunt knocks on trying to gather.
Sharks stripped the numbers well but the pass to Mulitalo is horrible. Knocked on.
..as I say that, Ponga coughs it up.
Been a sedate opening to the second half. Sharks have made some in-roads but can't find the quality needed to get over the Knights.
Sharks had a good roll going on but Hunt knocks on.
KICK-OFF! Back underway.
It almost came off. Ponga switched to the short side, put Tuala into the hole, the centre tried to kick for his winger, lost it and Brayley on the counter is hammered by Ponga. HALFTIME.
Knights tried to find one more shot before the break. It is knocked on. Sharks then as time ticked down went for a scrum play and it is knocked on. Knights rushed to the scrum. ONE PLAY.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Judged that Ponga touched it into Kennedy. Chalked off.
BUNKER TIME! It could be night night for the Sharks. Ponga competes, Lino finishes. Checking onside, contest and who knocks on.
Lino has kept the duties. The five-eighth adds his third of the night.
Knights making mince meat of the Sharks. Barnett gets the offload, Ponga drifts, drifts then presses the go button for his second.
Pearce goes bang! He was on the end of a hit from opposing half Chad Townsend at the end of the previous set then returns the favour on Bryson Goodwin.
Much better work from the Sharks. Some strong runs from the forwards got them on the front foot. Trindall tried to position Mulitalo again but the pass was forward.
Always beware the second kick. Townsend lofted one for his chasers, it was knocked back into his path and the half banana kicked one for a dropout.
Knights seem to be on a mission since the opening four-pointer. Put on three straight tries and have put some sting into their defense. Sharks have been stuck in their own half.
Knights shoot for two immediately. Lino was already there with the tee. Adds two more.
PENALTY KNIGHTS! That tackle just resembles how the Sharks have been thus far. Ugly. Toby Rudolph tries to get tough in defense and almost spears Lino. ON REPORT.
Ponga has sacked himself from kicking now. Lino, who set up the try, takes the tee. Nails it.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! No dramas there! The kick was manic and the finish was fantastic. To'a has a double now.
BUNKER TIME! Knights on fire now! Lino kicks past a sea of defenders and it ended up with Starford To'a again. Checking grounding.
Oh dear, it has all gone tits up for the Sharks. Will Kennedy tried to get the side off to a positive start and got clobbered, lost it and has the wobbles.
From besides the sticks, Ponga contrives to hit the post.
That was all Ponga power there. He threatened earlier to burst through but was caught. This time, inside ball and the fullback did the rest. Knights in front.
Left side kick for Ponga to start the night. He studies the kick, fades it wide.
Lovely response from the Knights. Kurt Mann rushed into dummy half and spirals one to Starford To'a to walk in.
PENALTY KNIGHTS! Ruck stuff. Newcastle get a chance to set up now.
Knights fans have been baying for the bell in the first few minutes and get some delight here. Knights chance to answer back now.
Youngster Trindall steps up for the conversion, waves it away.
Simple work and Ronaldo gets on the outside to open the scoring.
Ponga goes high and misjudges it. Sharks have both the first and second restart here as they attack.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! He tried hard to sell that but no dice for Klemmer. His initial pick up was dicey, the follow up wasn't good and it was fumbled.
BUNKER TIME! Lino kicked for the upright and the chasers look to ground it. David Klemmer is claiming it.
Here we go! Oh dear. Not the start the Sharks wanted. Kick-off from Blayke Brailey is out on the full.
Chad Townsend is back for the visitors. He strides out with his Sharks teammates who look to quiet the small but vocal crowd in tonight. The Knights quickly follow and aim to replicate the lyrics of their theme song: this game is their game and this is definitely their town. Time for them to defend it. KICK-OFF is moments away.
Happy Friday everybody! I hope you are rugged up, got a cold drink and a nice kebab (without a fight breaking out) and ready for tonight's doubleheader! Both these sides are finals bound.. probably but tonight is for seeding purposes and who might get a home finals in the first weekend. Sharks have been on a roll whilst the Knights were embarrassed last weekend against the Warriors. Settle in and enjoy!
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ben Cummins
Touch Judges: Phil Henderson, Matt Noyen
Video Referee: Henry Perenara, Bryan Norrie
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (38)
Tries: Starford To'a (2), Kalyn Ponga (3), Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Josh King
Field Goals:
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (0/2), Mason Lino (4/5)
Penalty Goals: Mason Lino (1/1)
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (10)
Tries: Ronaldo Mulitalo, Connor Tracey
Field Goals:
Conversions: Braydon Trindall (0/1), Bryson Goodwin (1/1)
Penalty Goals: