Knights into Grand Final

[deluded pom?]

http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/rugby_league/Knights_into_Grand_Final.shtml

Knights into Grand Final

Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Aug 21, 2009 - 9:26:25 PM

(Shaun Baker photo)
New York is the first team to qualify for the 2009 American National Rugby League championship game following a last gasp 20-16 win against New Haven in the first semifinal Friday night in New York City.
The Knights will play the winner of Saturday’s second semi between Jacksonville and Boston.
In a tight affair at ‘The Castle’ on Pier 40, the game was evenly poised inside the dying minutes until a moment of magic by Knights’ halfback Luke Hume finally swung things in New York’s favor.
The Warriors were first on the board with two quick tries by Keiki Misipeka and Brian Lee within the opening 12 minutes for an early 10-0 lead and that’s how the scores remained through the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter the Warriors looked to be in again, but the ball was knocked on in the in-goal nullifying the effort. After that the Knights started to find their rhythm and Hume found some open space to score on a 40-meter sprint to the line.
Adam Nable converted to close the gap to 10-6 and then New York tied things up just before halftime with their second four-pointer by Xavier Loguenez.
The third quarter began with some uncompromising, no-nonsense football that saw New Haven skipper Siose Muliumu binned by referee Rob Irwin, forcing the defending champs to play a man down for the next 10 minutes.
However, despite being reduced to 12 men, the Warriors regained the lead when veteran Derek Roma pounced on a nifty kick-through by player/coach Roy Leoni near the posts for a 16-10 scoreline.
The Knights hit back a short time later when that man Hume went on yet another long-range scamper to bag his second try of the night. Nable’s conversion was good and again things were knotted at 16-apiece as the game surged into the final quarter.
With less than 10 minutes to go in regulation, both teams lifted their intensity and it was New York’s Aussie halfback making another play that put his team in front for good.

(Dawn Minichino photo)

A clever cross-field kick by Hume saw John Meoli gather the ball and dot down out wide.
The attempted conversion missed but it didn’t matter as time had expired, leaving the Knights to savor a slender four-point victory.
“It’s been a long time and we’re just proud to get there,” New York CEO Robert Balachandran told ARN. “Our journey’s not done until next weekend’s Grand Final and we have our work cut out for us, but we’re just happy and thankful to be where we are.
“The Warriors should be congratulated for a great season. They were wonderful champions on and off the field.”
The Knights have made one prior appearance in the AMNRL championship final and that was back in 2002 when they beat the then Glen Mills Bulls.

 

[roopy]

Great work by the Knights.

It's the best possible result for the game, given that the grandfinal will be in NY.

I hope they can make some money out of the game now.

 

[deluded pom?]

Any idea if they are streaming the final on the 'net?

 

[druzik]

this is great news. But I hope that Jax come through for mine.

Looks like the Bulls / Warriors grip is being broken.

BTW DP I still have no results for two games.

Bucks county v Conneticucits in June and DC Slayers v Nth Raiders in July. Do you know of them?

 

[Stiff07nz]

bit unfortunate the fulltime whistle was blown 8mins before full time, for some unknown reason.

 

[MR KNIGHT]

Are you acussing the ref of stopping the play early, thats a pretty serious call. You cant make these allegations without proof.

Plain and simple the better team won

 

[Stiff07nz]

oh it was a cracker of a game and im not denying the knights the victory.

just that a there was time being kept by a number of people and on their clocks they had it between 8-10mins left to play.

 

[deeznuts]

game was a lot closer than just being the 'better team won' MR KNIGHT.

i think both teams were on equal par. knights played well and lukey hume certainly carried the knights home in the end. Warriors were unlucky to have captain siose muliumu sin-binned.

and yes was definelty a cracker of a game. ive seen a few AMNRL games over the years and this was by far one of the best!!!

 

[Norman]

Not sure about the time complaint as the referee keeps official time(i believe).
Sounds like there is some sour grapes from the warriors...which would explain the no show at the after game function.

I agree the game was a "cracker". The best AMNRL game I
've seen. & I hope the Warriors will come out next week & support the League at the GF should be another cracker

 

[Cheby]

Or maybe because the game was played at 9:00 PM most of the Warriors wanted to get home before sunrise so they didn't go to the bar. It is almost a 2 hour train ride back to New Haven.

 

[MR KNIGHT]

No one said anything about the time at the time. You would think if they really thought so they would have or backed it up with proof from video. If anything the game seemed to go on too long.

I wouldn't say both teams were equal, I would say the Knights better players got them home in the end, the Warriors players couldnt.

I do know some Warriors did come to the bar after the game.

It was a great hard game. I was speaking to some people from Sydney and they said pretty equivelent to a local A grade game.

 

[Jobdog]

Here's hoping it's an omen for their Australian namesakes

 

[roopy]

I'm starting to think the Knights might just do it.
A really hard leadup game might give them the edge over Jacksonville, who have had a pretty soft run into the GF.

 

[Swamp]

As they say "Once a Knight is enough"!

Swamp

 

[Play some footy]

I was speaking to some people from Sydney and they said pretty equivelent to a local A grade game.

A grade bush league maybe

I'd expect Jax to win by 20 - their side may be able to compete with an A grade CRL team (considering the have an Aussie center, half back, player-coach, and player-owner)

 

[MR KNIGHT]

The Knights will give it to Jacksonville.

The Knights Aussies are a better calbre and more experienced and their US players are a better than Jax. They will avenge their loss form earlier in the year.