Match Details
Match Date	7th Jul, 2013
Opponent	Newcastle
Result	Loss 12-18
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Virgin Australia Stadium, Mackay QLD
Crowd	9,742
Referee	Shayne Hayne Jared Maxwell

Newcastle moved into the top eight with a gutsy 18-12 win over Canterbury in Mackay yesterday. The Bulldogs took an early second-half lead in Ben Barba's north Queensland home town when Josh Morris scored after a strong run. But tries to veteran hooker Danny Buderus in the 59th minute and Chris Houston 10 minutes later sealed the Knights' second win in a row and lifted Wayne Bennett's men over the Bulldogs on the ladder. 

The teams were locked 8-all after a half in which the Knights dominated territory but couldn't pull clear of the Bulldogs. Houston and in-form winger James McManus scored the first-half tries for Newcastle while Josh Reynolds and Krisnan Inu crossed for Canterbury. 

Barba, who went close to a try twice in the Dogs' opening set, had the fans on their feet when he step-ped his way clear late in the half. But a brilliant effort by Knights halfback Tyrone Roberts denied the Dogs fullback on the tryline. Meanwhile, his side having surged into the top eight, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary is putting no limits on what it can achieve. But Cleary is the first to admit the Panthers remain a work in progress. Penrith won its fifth game from its past seven with a 40-18 thumping of Gold Coast in Darwin on Saturday night, the win lifting them to sixth place. 

While a finals berth would be welcome, Cleary has long-term goals. "As a club we are rebuilding, but as a football team, players don't understand that term," Cleary told ABC radio on Sunday. "All we want to do is keep improving, (we) understand the stakes are getting higher." Such is the state of the rebuilding that two of the most influential players during their recent good run — Luke Walsh and skipper Kevin Kingston — won't be with the club next year. Kingston has been told he will not be offered a new contract, while Walsh has been granted a re-lease to join Super League side St Helens. 

Asked how his squad compared to premiership high-flyers South Sydney, Sydney Roosters and Melbourne, Cleary said: "I don't think we're in their league just yet but if we keep improving, confi-dence rises and you never know." The Titans, who have lost three of their last four, now have the week off to regroup. 

Source: The Australian

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