News Archive
2009
2008
Knights' clubbing ensures finals race goes down to wire
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday September 1, 2009
Canberra 30 Newcastle 14THE Raiders last night kept alive the finals hopes of their former coach Matt Elliott's Penrith side by inflicting a shock defeat on Newcastle in drizzling conditions at Canberra Stadium.The pressure on the Knights to cement a finals spot was the critical difference in the approach of the two sides. Canberra had nothing to lose and their fresh legs and fresh-faced enthusiasm overwhelmed the frustrated Knights.Newcastle, possibly without Zeb Taia and Richie Fa'aoso, who both picked up injuries last night, will now play Penrith next Sunday, with the winners snatching a finals berth and the losers ending their season.But Newcastle will have to quickly turn around some indifferent form and a propensity to give away silly penalties. Second-rower Steve Simpson may also face the judiciary for a suspect tackle.Knights five-eighth Ben Rogers was lucky to receive just ten minutes in the sin bin for a "massive over-reaction", firing in four hard punches to the face of Raiders youngster Daniel Vidot in the second half. Vidot, whose only crime was to have pushed Rogers was also sinbinned after attempting to knee Rogers in the head in retaliation.On the back of great kicking by Terry Campese and Josh Dugan, plus the captaincy of Alan Tongue, Canberra have now accounted for some big names in recent weeks: the Broncos, the Dragons and now the Knights.Earlier, Vidot sensationally revealed a perceptive football brain and a body that he can contort and squeeze into the smallest of spaces. The part-Samoan youngster, just 19, wants to be an actor in Home and Away, telling his mates he should be "a love interest".Instead he had his own "Away and Home" moment: playing his first Raiders top-grade game against the Knights in their away match and then starring in last night's home match against the same team.The Raiders scored the first points within 60 seconds of kick-off. As the rain started with the blowing of the whistle, the Knights made a mistake by allowing the kick off to go dead in goal. From that set of six, the ball went out to Vidot who had no room, no space and the hulking presence of Newcastle's Junior Sau and Kurt Gidley and Rogers in front of him.So he did the only thing possible: barged his way forward and somehow managed to get his right arm loose to put the ball down hundredths of a second before he crashed into the corner post.But Vidot's efforts in the Raiders' second try surpassed even that play. Chasing a kick from Campese, the ball appeared well covered by Gidley but Vidot reached out around the fullback and batted the ball €“ which was in the air well out of the dead-ball line €“ back to Bronson Harrison, who scored and put the Raiders ahead 10-0.CANBERRA 30 (P Graham 2 B Harrison A Tongue D Vidot tries T Campese 5 goals) bt NEWCASTLE 14 (C Vuna 2 J Sau tries K Gidley goal) at Canberra Stadium. Referees: Matt Cecchin, Ashley Klein. Crowd: 9,400.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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