The Broncos beat the Knights 36-12 to claim five straight wins thanks to masterclasses from Selwyn Cobbo and Corey Oates at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Tyson Frizell pounced on an early kick to point and score as the Knights took a 6-0 lead after running it all in early.
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Broncos halfback Ezra Mam produced a neat flick for Billy Walters to beat Kalyn Ponga to bring the visitors back into the contest.
Dane Gagai appeared to have given the Knights the lead only for the bunker to decide they lost the ball and didn’t get it back before laying it down in a controversial call.
Tyson Gamble set up Jordan Riki for a tryout after exploiting a suspicious Knights defense to give the Broncos a 12-6 lead with half an hour left.
Jacob Saifiti took out Tyson Gamble with a controversial tackle allowing Kotoni Staggs to extend the lead to 14-6.
Kalyn Ponga produced a brilliant long-range try on a perfectly timed pass from Matt Croker to cut the deficit to 14-12.
Selwyn Cobbo capped off a brilliant game to continue her hot form with a bizarre long-range attempt to cut the lead back to eight.
Corey Oates pounced on a brilliant kick from Ezra Mam to seal the result for the Broncos.
Te Maire Martin produced a brilliant pass to give Cobbo his second of the night and put the icing on the cake for the Broncos’ fifth straight win.
Herbie Farnworth scored an interception try after the siren to add insult to injury for the Knights.
Here are the main takeaways from the game.
COBBO AND OATES SHINE IN WING DOUBLE ACT
It’s not often you attribute a win to two wingers, but Selwyn Cobbo and Corey Oates were the two best players on the field in the Broncos’ 36-12 win.
Cobbo continued his push for an Origin jersey with 223 yards running, 10 tackle busts, four line breaks and two tries in a powerful display.
Oates wasn’t far behind with 191 yards running, six tackle jumps, a line break and a try, but his tough runs and work on receiving kicks were just as important as his stats with the ball .
Cobbo produced a brilliant run from the backcourt in the second half and scored two tries in six minutes to snatch the game from the Knights.
Michael Ennis believes we are seeing the rise of the NRL’s next special player.
“The kid is a weapon,” Ennis said.
“Selwyn Cobbo is a monster. This game continues to produce players of this quality.
“Selwyn Cobbo just burst onto the scene and he’s an absolute star. He’s so good to watch.
“There is something going on around him all the time. Hat trick last week and absolute brilliance. 10 line breaks already in 2022, the third highest number in the NRL.
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MILFORD STRONG IN BACK AS PONGA LEADS FROM THE FRONT
The Knights may have lost a lot of ground, but the scoreline didn’t reflect how close the competition was for much of the evening and Anthony Milford and Kalyn Ponga were proud.
Milford was short a run of course, but tried hard all night and was unlucky not to set up a try for Dane Gagai which was a contentious call against the Knights.
Cooper Cronk was impressed with Milford on his return to the NRL.
“Milford looked dangerous,” Cronk said.
Cronk thinks the no-try call against Gagai turned the game around, but thinks it was the bunker’s right call.
“It felt like a turning point, with Anthony Milford stepping back,” Cronk said.
“He took a few left-footed steps and put a ball on a plate for Dane Gagai and live it looked good.
“They came back and saw it again and there was a bit of a disconnect and I don’t think Dane Gagai took over. I think he used the grass to get his hand back on the ball and that’s a no try. That’s the right call from the bunker.
Ponga led from the front with 168 yards, five tackle jumps, two line breaks and a try to keep his side in competition for most of the night.
“Ponga set the scene with his first touch and the captain really stood up at different stages,” Cronk said.
“He ran more than 100 meters in the first half. His first contact, he became stupid, stupid inside. Sold candy to Cobbo, Riki and the others and if it hadn’t been for Te Maire Martin he might have scored and run the full length.
“He had some nice touches. I love that wherever the ball is, Kalyn has appeared. He went down the left side on a kick return, set up a no-try for Fitzgibbon, then went down the right side.
“Basically, wherever Kalyn is, the ball is going and that’s a good sign for Newcastle fans.”
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ROOKIE SHINES IN REYNOLDS’ ABSENCE
He’s no Adam Reynolds and it wasn’t a perfect start, but there was a lot to like about Broncos rookie Ezra Mam’s first outing in the NRL.
The halfback was included late but capitalized on his opportunity with 99 yards running, three tackle busts, two line breaks, a line break assist and two assists in an eye-catching display.
Mam is almost the opposite kind of halfback to Reynolds, but he played hard and replaced the veteran with aplomb.
Granted, he made three errors and his late-set options were deemed insufficient at times, but he has a big future in the game.
Mam set up a try for Corey Oates to seal the victory with a left kick that would have impressed Reynolds.
The Broncos now have depth in a position they’ve struggled to hold for a long time, which is a good sign as they’ve broken into the top four, despite having seven games left in the round. .
MATCH OVERVIEW
Newcastle Knights host the Brisbane Broncos in a Thursday night clash at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Anthony Milford makes his long-awaited return to the NRL at five-eights for the Knights against his former club.
Newcastle welcome the return of star center Dane Gagai from injury, with Enari Tuala dropping out of the squad.
Tyson Frizell returns to the back row with Mitch Barnett moving to lock and Leo Thompson on the bench.
The Broncos will be without star halfback and skipper Adam Reynolds due to a groin injury with rookie Ezra Mam entering the halves on his NRL debut.
Kurt Capewell will battle a neck injury and replaced Reynolds as skipper, while Te Maire Martin was cleared to play after overcoming a hip flexor injury suffered last week against the Sea Eagles.
The Broncos are looking to pick up five straight wins and stay in touch with the top four, while the Knights are looking for back-to-back wins to keep pace with the top eight.
It sets the stage for a crucial clash for both sides in a sort of homecoming for Milford who wants to revive his rugby league career.
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