‘Crisis stuff’: Lomax’s dream Origin audition as Eels thrash hapless Knights in Gagai’s 300th

Heading into the match 2-7 and firmly in last place, it’s easy to forget that until tonight, marquee signing Zac Lomax and skipper Mitchell Moses were yet to play a game together in clubland.

The two forged a strong combination in the Origin arena last season before being reinforced at the end of 2024 after the pair both made their Kangaroos debut, which picked up where it left off on Friday night.

Meanwhile Newcastle have hit a new low this season, losing to the Titans despite leading 20-0 early on, the last-minute loss leaving Adam O’Brien with one win from his last eight games.

“This is embarrassing,” noted Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach in commentary, while Andrew Voss said: “This is crisis stuff.”

After a sloppy opening ten minutes, it was New South Wales’ likely five-eighth in Moses that opened up the scoring, leaping through the air to take a Dylan Brown cross-field kick to dot down next to the posts.

The Origin chatter may have landed the spotlight on Moses, however the pressure was firmly on his halves partner Brown, facing the Knights for the first time since inking a ten-year, $13 million deal with the club in March.

If either half were nervous running around at McDonald Jones Stadium, it certainly didn’t show as Moses popped up again to extend the Eels’ lead.

A short-ball to aging prop Junior Paulo saw the front-rower pop the ball out to Moses, firing a ball to Will Penisini out wide as the centre sent Lomax over for a try in his Origin audition.

The former Dragon was one of the Blues’ best in 2024, however a broken foot in Round 5 meant Friday’s clash against the Knights was Lomax’s only chance to hit the field before the Origin opener in 12 days.

The centre-turned-winger soared over NRL debutant Fletcher Hunt again and again in the opening stanza, though couldn’t extend the lead past 10-0.

The story was the same as weeks gone by for Newcastle, popping up in strong field position only for the final pass to hit the turf.

It’s been a double-edged sword for the red-and-blue this season, either throwing caution to the wind and dropping the footy, or playing conservative without managing to threaten the opposition’s defence.

Their lack of attack stretched firmly into the second-half, struggling to find that last pass as their spine struggled to organise the side.

Lomax had his brace midway through the second period, a near-bobble from Penisini launched out wide to the incumbent Blue, dotting down in the corner to extend the lead to 16-0.

Newcastle would only implode further from there, another error from young Hunt handing Parramatta key field position heading into the game’s final quarter.

While they couldn’t find the line, yet another infringement from O’Brien’s side saw import Kai Pearce-Paul sent to the sin-bin, slamming the flood gates wide open.

A bittersweet moment saw the man Newcastle have leveraged their future on, Dylan Brown, slide over under the sticks on the ball of a Josh Addo-Carr line break, before a short-ball from Moses to Jordan Samrani handed the Eels a 28-0 lead, and the youngster his first NRL try.

It took Newcastle 75 minutes just to trouble the scorers against the NRL’s last-placed side, a shift to the right giving the milestone man Gagai a chance to shine in his 300th.

The former Maroon shimmied to the right, drawing the winger before finding James Schiller with a flick pass, sending the speedster down the touchline to cut the lead to 22.

The loss leaves Newcastle in equal last, only a better for-and-against keeping the struggling side above Parramatta and the Gold Coast.

The result does set up two key clashes next weekend, as Parramatta chase consecutive wins for the first time this season against Manly, while Newcastle will face a Penrith side missing a host of stars to State of Origin.

ONE TRICK PONGA

The Newcastle skipper might be the faourite to wear Queensland’s No. 1 jersey in under two weeks time, however Kalyn Ponga has been dishing up far from his best of late.

While the focus of their struggling attack has fallen on their revolving door in the halfback position, it’s their skipper whose numbers have been way down this season.

Ponga has scored in just one game over the last 13 months, and doesn’t look like crossing anytime soon.

MOSES MAGIC REIGNITES ALL-RIGHT DEBATE

It’s almost certain, Mitchell Moses will feature in Laurie Daley’s first State of Origin team-list. However, plans to shift the halfback to fie-eighth and shunt him to the left could be up in arms.

Moses was close to a Wally Lewis medal in 2024 despite playing two games, leading the Blues to a series win, including the state’s third-ever decider win at Suncorp Stadium.

However the return of Nathan Cleary looks set to push Moses left, which seems silly after re-igniting his combination on the right with aerial specialist Zac Lomax.

It’s a combo that the Blues will be desperate for in that fast-paced arena.

GAGAI ENTERS RARE AIR

Dane Gagai became the 54th NRL player to chalk up 300 games in the top-flight competition on Friday night, a journey that was nearly cut short in 2012 after his fall from the Brisbane Broncos.

A highly-touted teenager, the Broncos cut the centre loose for disciplinary reasons before being picked up by the Knights under Wayne Bennett’s tutelage, and the rest is history.

Two stints with the club amassing 202 NRL games, a Grand Final appearance with South Sydney inbetween and a hell of a rep career, Gagai may not have won the battle on Friday night, but he’s certainly won the war.

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MATCH PREVIEW

Bradman Best is out with Dylan Lucas switching to the centres and Thomas Cant joining the second row. Jack Cogger is out replaced by Tyson Gamble at halfback. Jack Hetherington joins the bench.

Matt Doorey drops out with Luca Moretti starting at second row and Ryan Matterson joining the bench.

TEAMS

Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 11. Dylan Lucas 5. Fletcher Hunt 6. Fletcher Sharpe 19. Tyson Gamble 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Tyson Frizell 16. Thomas Cant 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Mathew Croker 17. Brodie Jones 18. Jack Hetherington. 18th man: 22. Paul Bryan

Eels team: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Zac Lomax 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 15. Luca Moretti 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Dylan Walker 16. Jordan Samrani 17. Toni Mataele 19. Ryan Matterson. 18th man: 18. Joash Papali’i