Knights march on after dubious decision cruels Warriors

Newcastle, last year’s wooden spooners, are through to a preliminary final against Penrith.

But the big talking point out of their epic 12-10 win over the New Zealand Warriors in front of 48,511 fans at Eden Park was the failure to award the home side a penalty in the final minute.

Leka Halasima, one of the Warriors’ best despite playing on one leg, appeared to be run off the ball by Tyson Frizell when he chased a kick.

Referee Ashley Klein refused to award a penalty in real time and the Warriors had lost their captain’s challenge, which meant the bunker could not intervene.

Fans, however, will be wondering why the bunker could not use its powers to step in and over-rule such a poor on-field decision.

The Warriors could have kicked a penalty goal from close range to level the scores.

Only minutes earlier, Warriors playmaker Te Maire Martin was also penalised for stripping the ball from Greg Marzhew when the Knights winger appeared to drop it.

Regardless of the controversial calls, the Warriors produced far too many poor options at the end of their sets.

How is it a team that averaged almost 30 points a game all season could only come up with three tries in two finals on home soil?

One of those tries featured individual brilliance from Halasima when he somehow stayed in the field of play to plant the ball down and get around Dom Young.

Prop Mitch Barnett found himself going down the short side on two occasions late in the tackle count, and came up with a grubber in the first half that gifted Newcastle a seven-tackle set that led to a Fletcher Sharpe try.

The Knights were brave with Kalyn Ponga forced off the field in the dying stages with a head injury assessment.

Ponga confirmed to Fox League after the game he had passed his HIA and would be fit for next Sunday’s clash against the Panthers.

“Everyone counted us out about five or six weeks ago. To represent our town with so much pride, it’s an awesome feeling.