Knights Vs Magpies rd 4
JF

The Newcastle Pepsi Knights continued their perfect start to the season on Sunday afternoon when they comprehensively beat Western Suburbs 42 points to 8. After just four rounds, the Knights differential stands at a massive +154.

The Knights started the game strongly and young winger Aku Uate scored in the corner off a clever kick from Luke Walsh. In blustery conditions, Walsh failed with his conversion attempt from the sideline. The game to'd and fro'd for the next fifteen minutes with neither side able to convert possession into points. The Magpies looked quite pedestrian in attack and were easy for the Knights to defend against. In the 20th minute, Knights hooker Terence Seu Seu who had a sensational game crossed for the home sides second try of the afternoon and Walsh added the extras to send the Knights out to 10-0. This try was the first of three in a seven minute period leading up to halftime as the Knights started to get into gear. Centre Jonathon Wright crossed out wide in the 22nd minute, followed by winger Stephen Gordon who also crossed before halftime. Walsh again converted both tries and the Knights were well in control, going to the break leading by 22 points to 0.

It was this game last year which had its controversy as the Knights squandered an early lead to lose on fulltime, but that was put to rest early in the second half when Uate crossed for his second try of the afternoon, putting the Knights up 26-0. Wests winger Nick Taylor dived over, centimetres in from the western touchline to open his sides account for the afternoon, adding some respectability to the scoreline. Knights interchange forward Warren Schillings continued the Knights scoring spree when he crashed over with twenty minutes remaining and Matt Cooper plucked an intercept and raced 65 metres to score in the far eastern corner with 13 to go. Halfback Walsh was then replaced after his conversion attempt waved away, with what looked like a lower back problem, hopefully not ruling him out of this weekends top of the table clash with the Dragons. With just a few minutes remaining, the Magpies crossed again, this time through centre Teason Fa'Avae-eli and the Knights rounded off the scoring right on the stroke of fulltime when second rower Cory Patterson, who had a strong game taking the ball up consistently, crashed over beside the posts. Gordon added the extras to continue the Knights sensational start to season 2006.

For the Knights, the standout was undoubtedly hooker Terence Seu Seu, who made regular metres out of dummy half and tackled everything that moved.