Ponga perfection as Knights down the Dolphins

After a week of rumours and opinions surrounding the Knights’ new marquee signing, Kalyn Ponga reminded everyone who the prince of Newcastle truly is.

The Knights marched all over the Dolphins from the outset, recording a convincing 26-12 win in front of 18,531 faithful Newcastle fans.

Kalyn Ponga was the standout for the Knights, reinstating his claim as the best fullback in rugby league after standout performances from Ryan Papenhuyzen and Tom Trbojevic in Round 1.

New five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe, centres Bradman Best and Dane Gagai, and lock Tyson Frizell were also impressive through the match, producing a performance certain to turn the heads of 15 other NRL clubs.

It wasn't the celebration The Dolphins had hoped for after two weeks of upended preparation as the club played its 50th game in the NRL.

The opening contact delivered on everything the Saifiti brothers had promised leading into the game, with the two herculean props beelining for one another and colliding; an unstoppable object meeting the immovable force.

Ponga gave an early glimpse into his first half dominance to set up winger James Schiller for the opening try. Drifting across the face of the Dolphins’ line, defenders held back from the Newcastle fullback, seemingly determined to not get sucked in by his footwork. Only none seemed to remember the other Newcastle players outside him, with Ponga finding Kai Pearce-Paul in a gaping three-on-one. From there, the English second rower’s job was easy, finding an unmarked Schiller in the corner.

Schiller had his second try in Newcastle colours only four minutes later as the Dolphins struggled to contain Newcastle’s attack. Compared to the first Knights’ try where the defenders couldn’t take their eyes off Kalyn Ponga, the Dolphins’ players completely missed him on this short side raid, with the fullback sweeping around the back and passing it onto Schiller to nab his second in the corner.

Not to be forgotten as Newcastle cashed in, Bradman Best powered through Dolphins’ defenders to extend the Knights’ lead to 14, firmly keeping himself in the frame for Laurie Daley’s Blues side.

Kalyn Ponga continued his first half dominance, setting up Dane Gagai in the corner. Ponga had the Dolphins defence falling for him before he even caught the ball, dancing around Jake Averillo, before handing the ball onto Gagai who finished off the play, putting the Knights up 20-0.

Clever deception work by Dolphins’ halfback Isaiya Katoa put Mark Nicholls through a hole, with the big prop crashing over the line to cut the Knights lead by 6.

The first points of the second half came the way of Dylan Lucas, who had the easy job of finishing off a brilliant series of play, starting with an Adam Elliot line break on halfway. The lock forward muscled his way through some flimsy Dolphins’ defence, before Fletcher Sharpe took possession on the next play, using his speed to capitalise on a five-on-two and put Lucas over almost untouched.

Isaiya Katoa gave the Dolphins some late hope, slicing through some soft goal line defence, but it would ultimately be to no avail, as the Knights went 2-0 to begin the season.

Newcastle will have some worries over Kai Pearce-Paul, who was sin binned late in the second half for a shoulder charge on former teammate Daniel Saifiti, but ultimately, the form of their back five, led by Kalyn Ponga, will fill Newcastle fans with hope for the remainder of the season.

The Knights take on the Gold Coast Titans away in Round 3, while the Dolphins will look to find their first win of the season at home against the Tigers, after two heavily disrupted weeks due to Cyclone Alfred.