Match Details
Match Date	2nd Jul, 2023
Opponent	Newcastle
Result	Loss 0-66
Coach	Cameron Ciraldo
Captain	Reed Mahoney
Venue	Homebush (Accor Stadium)
Crowd	11,004
Referee	Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski

It was the Best of times for Newcastle and the worst of times for the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Sunday as the Knights routed the blue and whites to the tune of 66-0.

The Knights had stars across the park but it was rampaging centre Bradman Best who stole the show with his first career hat-trick as Newcastle racked up the biggest win in the club's 35-year history.

Skipper Kalyn Ponga was also outstanding for Newcastle with 154 running metres, three try assists and 11 goals from 11 attempts to equal Immortal Andrew Johns' club record for most goals in a match.

After errors punctuated the game early it was the Knights crossing in the 13th minute when Jackson Hastings took the ball two passes off a scrum and raced 25 metres to score untouched.

The Knights struck again in the 17th minute when Ponga went left and put Best into a hole for his sixth try of the season. Ponga converted for a 12-0 lead.

With 14 minutes remaining in the half Newcastle went further ahead when back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon proved far too strong for Khaled Rajab from close range and the score blew out to 18-0.

The Bulldogs then put the kick-off out on the full to invite the Knights straight back on the attack but the Bulldogs' defence held firm.

Come the 35th minute and the Bulldogs cracked again when Ponga delivered the final pass for Phoenix Crossland to scoot over for the Knights' fourth try.

The Knights needed just three minutes to strike in the second half when Kurt Mann crossed before Greg Marzhew finished off a left side raid to make it 42-0. 

When Hastings crossed for his double in the 52nd minute after slick lead-up by Ponga and Best the Knights were out to 48-0 and the Bulldogs' missed tackle count had hit 45.

A dropped ball by Bulldogs centre Paul Alamoti in the 57th minute was scooped up by Best who ran 60 metres to score to complete the first hat-trick of his career.

Enari Tuala was next to cross for Newcastle with 14 minutes to play and Ponga's 10th conversion of the day made it 60-0.

The Bulldogs' pain continued in the 70th minute when Crossland made it a double and the Knights had 11 tries for the day.

The Bulldogs have now conceded 173 points in their past four games and their points differential of -220 is the worst in the competition.

Source: NRL.COM

LINE UP