Knights put Titans to sword to end finals hopes
Defending champions Newcastle made a statement at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday with a 46-10 demolition of the Titans.
With gun fullback Tamika Upton coming up with three try assists and winger Sheridan Gallagher bagging a hat-trick, the Knights registered the biggest win in their history.
A mistake by Titans five-eighth Sienna Lofipo from the kick-off was punished by the Knights, who scored through Yasmin Clydsdale after just 70 seconds.
Come the 10th minute and the defending premiers had a second when superstar fullback Upton found Shanice Parker who put Gallagher over in the corner for a 12-0 lead.
Five minutes later it was Gallagher taking an intercept and making big metres before Georgia Roche chipped ahead and Upton follows through to score and the Knights were looking good at 18-0.
Olivia Higgins was next to score for the Knights when she darted over from dummy half before Clydsdale powered through some flimsy defence to grab her second as the score ballooned to 28-0.
With Upton stamping her class on the match it was Gallagher who crossed in the 31st minute courtesy of a lofted pass from the fullback and the Knights were beating the clock at 34-0.
The Titans found more resolve in the opening 10 minutes of the second half before a long ball from Jesse Southwell found Gallagher who sent it on to Parker for the Knights' seventh try.
The Upton-Gallagher combination struck again in the 50th minute when the winger completed her hat-trick and the Knights led 42-0.
A try to Georgia Grey in the 56th minute got the Titans on the board before Abigail Roache delivered the final pass for Tenika Willison to cross for Newcastle's ninth try.
Match: Titans v Knights
Round 8 -
home Team
Titans
7th Position
away Team
Knights
4th Position
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Match snapshot
- Knights fullback Tamika Upton has scored seven tries in her past seven games.
- The Newcastle side contained 14 players who were part of last year's grand final winning team. Only nine Titans were on deck from the 2023 decider.
- The Titans were forced to make 166 tackles in the first half compared to just 77 by the Knights.
- Titans lock Georgia Hale made 43 tackles for the match while Shaylee Bent came up with 34.
- The Knights have won their past four games against the Titans.
- Titans bench forward Ngatokotoru Arakua was placed on report in the 43rd minute for a hip drop on Nita Maynard, who left the field with an ankle injury.
- Knights winger Sheridan Gallagher grabbed the first hat-trick of her career and ran for 202 metres.
- The Knights came up with the biggest win in their NRLW history, eclipsing the 34-point margin against the Sharks in Round 3 last year.
