Knights shine without stars
By Steve Mascord
May 10, 2004
Newcastle 32 Bulldogs 6
Newcastle players declared last night they had finally put to rest their dependence on a handful of individuals - and no one was more proud of them than rugby league's top individual, Andrew Johns.
Taking on competition leaders the Bulldogs without halfback Johns (knee), lock Ben Kennedy centre Timana Tahu , fullback Robbie O'Davis (all hamstrings), second-rowers Daniel Abraham (ankle) and Steve Simpson (foot), the Knights were all set to confirm the stereotype many have of them.
That is, they win because of who is on the field but when they lose, it is because of those in the stands, wrapped in bandages with crutches at their sides.
But after a year of their most talented rookies slowly building confidence in the face of wave after wave of casualties, yesterday it all came together for Michael Hagan's patched-up team.
They didn't just beat the pace-setting Bulldogs, they pummelled them 32-6, with fullback Mark Hughes winning man-of-the- match honours in only his second game for eight months.
"I'm just so proud of the boys - it was a great day for the whole club," said Johns as he made his way home from EnergyAustralia Stadium.
"They had seven rep players out and yet went out there and beat the Bulldogs. The premier league have had a tough year, too, and they won as well.
"It just goes to show what this club is made of."
In front of 16,562 fans in rare voice, the Knights shocked the Dogs when they took a 12-0 lead, thanks to tries from centre George Carmont and second-rower Andrew Price in the opening 22 minutes.
Price's try was more than a little comical, seemingly disoriented prop Matthew Kennedy performing a 360-degree turn on the last tackle before putting in a despairing kick (later described by Johns as "a left-foot, inside-out banana kick") which bore fruit.
Apprentice halfback Kurt Gidley left his master, Johns, standing and applauding wildly when he showed superb vision to put Hughes over four minutes into the second half.
Newcastle 20, Bulldogs 6 was a scoreline even the most parochial Novocastrian dared not dream of before kick-off. But a dropped ball with the line open by Bulldog Mark O'Meley and a try butchered by Roy Asotasi proved it was just not the Belmore side's day.
Newcastle left their best until last, Steve Witt and Matt Gidley hacking at the ball with their feet more in hope than anything before prop Adam Woolnough raced through to score with six to go.
"The last try they scored was pretty amazing," said Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes said. "You would have got a penalty stroke in golf."
Folkes said that while he would not use as an excuse the fact six Bulldogs were backing up from City-Country, it probably had something to do with his charges being "pretty much brain-dead, very predictable, didn't think outside of the square at all".
Newcastle players have become increasingly sick of being told in recent seasons they are a one- two- three- or four-man band.
"Everyone has been through the 'can't win without Andrew' thing," said stand-in captain Danny Buderus. "We were without six internationals today . . . I think we put a lot of things behind us."
Hughes said: "Besides the grand finals, I find it hard to think of a more enjoyable win. When you consider the personnel we had on the sidelines and the way the young blokes lifted in front of the home crowd, it was a really important win for the club.
". . . as we showed today, if you've got 17 blokes all working in the one direction, you can do anything.
"Enthusiasm is very hard to beat in the football team. I think we had a lot more of that than Canterbury today."
