Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Rumble triples as Dragons extend streak

The Dragons took advantage of an early yardage penalty to draw first blood with Jonah Glover weighting a perfect grubber for a chasing Rumble who picked it up and dove over in the northeastern corner for his 11th try of the season – a competition-tying mark.

Glover nailed the extras from the right touchline to make it a six-point game less than 10 minutes in.

The ruck speed the hosts were able to generate off it began causing Newcastle headaches, and it didn’t take long for more points to come with Connor Muhleisen burrowing his way over to the right of the sticks out of dummy-half 16 minutes in.

The points kept coming for the home side with Lachlan Ilias sending a storming Raymond Faitala-Mariner over on a nicely timed hole run a half-hour in down the left edge with Glover remaining a perfect three-of-three from the tee to improve the lead out to 18-0.

Willie Talau’s men nabbed another prior to the break off a centre-field attacking scrum to make the lead an even more imposing one.

Cody Ramsey swept around to the right to put the Knights defenders on high alert, but Glover opted to cut his fullback out and send Rumble sliding over for his second of the evening.

Newcastle took advantage of back-to-back penalties to find a needed try however on the stroke of half-time through Francis Manuleleua to cut the deficit back to 22-6.

The Knights threatened to eat further into the lead in the opening set of the second half after Manuleleua again sliced his way into the backfield.

Back-to-back Ramsey try savers prevented any points however with the Dragons holding strong to repel the raid.

They were able to find their second try of the evening soon after however with Wilson De Courcey scoring off a 90-metre-plus intercept despite a furious Hayden Buchanan chase.

Manuleleua continued wreaking havoc down the left edge, but the Red V were able to hold the second rower up over the line as he searched for his side’s third four-pointer.

Their fightback continued on the other side of the hour mark however with Harley Walker going over in the right-hand corner after some nice lead-up on his inside.

Connor Votano slotted what was a difficult conversion to cut the Dragons’ advantage back to four points.

The visitors were able to tie it up with less than six minutes on the clock through Sosaia Latu in the left corner off a superb, last tackle cut-out.

Votano’s conversion snuck inside the right upright as Newcastle hit the lead for the first time in the contest.

The match had one final twist in it however with Nick Tsougranis bursting into the backfield down the right edge, drawing Votano, and moving the ball onto Rumble who dove over in the corner for his fourth hat-trick of the season with a touch over 90 seconds on the clock.

A botched short kick-off ensured that the Red V’s unbeaten streak would remain intact as Talau’s men nabbed another handy pair of competition points on home soil.