Knights’ NRL season done as Sharks firm for top four

The Newcastle Knights are all but out of the 2024 NRL finals race after losing in golden point to the Cronulla Sharks at PointsBet Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Needing a win to keep their slim hopes of making the top eight alive, the Knights got off to a horror start in Sydney.

The home team ran in two tries inside the first seven minutes, bursting out to a 10-0 lead before Newcastle could make their first interchange.

With live betting sites putting them at long odds to win, the visitors did well to claw their way back into the match.

Tries to Kai Pearce-Paul and Greg Marzhew meant Newcastle had a lead at half-time, which they added to after the break with Dane Gagai crossing for his sixth try of the season.

However, that was to be the Knights’ final scoring act, as the Sharks kept them pointless in the final half-hour while adding a try of their own.

With the scores level at 18-18 after 80 minutes, the clash headed to extra time.

Both sides conceded attacking penalties for the use of blockers while attempting field goals, while Newcastle sliced another attempt wide.

After five minutes, however, Daniel Atkinson got it right, bagging a one-pointer to seal victory for Cronulla.

Sharks solidify top four, Knights plummet

The result has had a big impact on the NRL ladder, with the Sharks firming up their grip on the top four.

Sitting two points clear of the fifth-placed Canterbury Bulldogs, the boys from the Shire are paying $1.30 to make the top four and $13 to win the premiership.

For the Knights, however, their hopes of a late-season surge like they had in 2023 have been snuffed.

They are still a mathematical chance of making the eight, but they sit four points short in 11th place with just three rounds to go.

NRL bookmakers put them at just $1.02 to miss out, with PlayUp returning $16 for Newcastle to make the cut and $151 for them to win the competition.

Even if they win all of their remaining matches against the Rabbitohs, Titans and Dolphins, the Knights would need other results to go their way as well.

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