Dragons fall to Knights in season finale

Trinity Tauaneai produced a result off her opening kick-off of the match forcing an error to earn her side an early attacking chance.

Madi Mulhall went within inches of opening her side’s account courtesy of a crash play off it but had the ball dislodged in her grounding attempt.

Teagan Berry made the break down the left touchline the Dragons’ next set to put the visitors back on the front foot before a Kasey Reh grubber forced a dropout to end the set.

Simone Karpani left the field for a HIA – which she went on to fail – in the early goings bringing Grace Giampino into the action.

The Southwell sisters came together for the first time soon after with Hannah whistled for a late shot on her little sister as she dug into the line.

The Dragons’ defence was tested off it, but Nathan Cross’ squad showed a great deal of ticker to repel the oncoming Novocastrians.

The Knights did manage to find points however with Yasmin Clydsdale – in her 50th NRLW appearance - shrugging away from a tackle attempt and crafting an offload for Mercedez Taulelei-Siala who went over in the left-hand corner to make it 4-0.

The Dragons manufactured a needed response 20 minutes in with Bronte Wilson muscling her way through a quartet of Newcastle defenders to get the ball to the ground.

Video officials overruled the on-field call of held up to hand the Collegians junior her first try in the NRLW.

Jayme Millard added the extras from just to the left of the sticks to give the Dragons a 6-4 lead.

A yardage penalty saw the Red V handed another opportunity with the ball and they took full advantage with Tyra Ekepati taking in a Reh cut-out and fashioning a sublime flick to Maria Paseka who wore a shot from a Newcastle cover defender and got the ball to grass to make it a six-point difference.

The Dragons fired in a successful Captain’s Challenge their next set to overturn an on-field ruling of an illegal, mid-air tackle.

Berry produced another long-range stunner as the Dragons’ wave of momentum continued with the star fullback slipping through down a narrow, left side from inside her own 20 and burning the cover to go the distance and push the visitors’ edge out to double figures.

The Knights answered on the stroke of half-time in frustrating fashion with Shanice Parker sending Sheridan Gallagher over in the right-hand corner to cut the deficit back to 16-8.

Newcastle ate further into the deficit on the other side of the break with Tenika Willison surging into space down the left and finding Keighley Simpson who crossed in the corner.

The Dragons lost Tori Shipton for 15 minutes due to a HIA seeing Nita Maynard-Perrin injected back into the contest.

The Knights hit the lead with 21 minutes remaining courtesy of a Georgia Roche four-pointer who went through off a Clydsdale offload and held off a pair of cover defenders to slam the ball down.

Hannah Southwell was placed on report for a high shot the following set before the Knights lost their Captain’s Challenge the next play in an attempt to overturn a knock-on call.

The Knights forced an error as the Dragons were on the attack and took off downfield with it a swift change of momentum.

Simpson went over again in the left-hand corner off it to push Newcastle’s lead beyond a converted tries entering the home stretch.

Paseka was hit high with nine minutes to play resulting in the winger being taken off the field for a match-ending HIA despite the officials clearing the play.

Sara Sautia powered her way over for the Red V with six minutes to play to breathe some life back into the contest with Millard nailing the conversion to bring it back to 26-22.

Simpson finished the clash with a hat-trick however pouncing on a Roche grubber to put the bow on a comeback Newcastle victory a week out from the postseason.