Halfback Jamal Fogarty is closing in on a return to full fitness as Canberra’s NRL season hovers on the brink of collapse with a 16-12 defeat to Newcastle the team's fourth straight NRL loss.
After starting 2024 with hopes of a spot in the finals, the Raiders have won just one of their past six games and were unable to run down a gutsy Knights side, who withstood a late barrage at GIO Stadium on Sunday.
Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga got through his return game unscathed as he looks to win a recall for Queensland’s State of Origin side, while centre Dane Gagai, who is also in contention to get picked for the Maroons for the July 17 decider, bagged two tries.
Knights centre Bradman Best, who was named in the NSW squad on Sunday did not get up to his rampaging best but he did a solid job of containing Matt Timoko as the Knights claimed a second-straight win.
The victory lifts Newcastle to ninth spot, denied a place in the finals by virtue of North Queensland’s inferior points differential.
“We weren't great with executions and ball control, and playing smart but our grit, determination and spirit was intact,” said Knights coach Adam O’Brien, who lost winger Enari Tuala to a torn calf.
Newcastle are poised to make a late-season surge into finals contention once more with Ponga back to full fitness, but the Raiders are heading in a completely different direction.
Their sharp drop-off in form, coach Ricky Stuart says, is a natural bump in the road for a side boasting eight players with fewer than 50 games of NRL experience.
“We decided to go that way in regards to recruitment and I'm not disappointed with our decision,” Stuart said.
“They’re talented players who are going to have longevity at this club and we will have a very good football team as that experience is gained.
“They’re hurting in there, and that makes me happy to know how much hurt there is because if you’re hurt you want to win.”
Stuart expects Fogarty (biceps) and back-rower Zac Hosking (shoulder) will return to face the Warriors in a fortnight's time.
Canberra looked set to put an end to their spluttering run of form when veteran prop Josh Papalii barged over after seven minutes.
But Newcastle took a 10-6 lead to halftime courtesy of Gagai and a link-up between Ponga and Best to send Greg Marzhew over.
Gagai added a second following a forward pass from Raiders lock Morgan Smithies but the Green Machine kept themselves in the contest when Kaeo Weekes scored a 90m breakaway try to cut the Knights’ lead to just four points.
Canberra threw everything they had at Newcastle in the final 20 minutes but the Raiders were unable to come up with a winning play to crack the Knights’ line.
Winger Xavier Savage went closest two minutes from time only to knock on as he attempted to ground an Adam Cook kick to the in-goal.
