Knights keep top-four hopes alive with win over Titans

Dane Gagai, Greg Marzhew and Fletcher Sharpe all scored try doubles as Newcastle kept their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive with a 36-26 home win over the Gold Coast.

With a final-round bye in hand and fifth-placed Cronulla staring down consecutive losses, the Knights sit just two competition points adrift of the fourth-placed Dolphins.

An unlikely top-four berth would complete a remarkable 12-month turnaround for the Knights following their 2025 wooden spoon finish.

Sunday’s 10-point win wasn’t without its issues for Newcastle with Dane Gagai failing to return after half-time with a reported hamstring injury.

The absence of the veteran centre led to an unexpected first grade debut for Toby Winter, who three months ago was playing in the SG Ball under-19s grand final.

A crucial try-saving tackle by the 19-year-old on back-rower Beau Fermor proved the highlight of his maiden game.

Gagai’s double and winger Marzhew’s first try all came within 18 minutes, and held Newcastle in good stead at 16-0.

But the Titans overcame a hefty penalty deficit to keep in touch with the Knights through tries for Fermor and Jayden Campbell.

A critical intervention from the bunker minutes into the second half prevented the Titans from hitting the lead, when it ruled that centre Jojo Fifita’s elbow had hit the ball in the lead-up to him scoring.

Ill-discipline was the story of the day for the Titans and soon led to Newcastle centre Fletcher Hunt, who had been denied by the bunker twice in the game, capping off a long-range effort to extend his side’s lead.

Kurtis Morrin’s try in the 57th minute was countered by the Knights within four minutes through a darting 55-metre dummy-half try-scoring run from five-eighth Sharpe.

Further tries to Marzhew and Sharpe rounded out the win for the Knights, despite the best efforts of Fermor and halfback Lachlan Ilias at the death.

AAP