The Knights thrashed the Rabbitohs 36-16 on Saturday night to keep their slims finals hopes alive in a game that produced a Bunker backflip.
Souths skipper Cameron Murray was binned in the 37th minute after the Bunker changed its mind about his high shot just being put on report.
The star backrower made contact with Tyson Frizell’s head and after review it was initially just a penalty before the Bunker official Peter Gough changed his mind and directed referee Chris Butler to bin Murray.
It came 24 hours after Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton was somehow not binned for a blatant no-arms high shot that knocked out Warriors veteran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
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MATCH CENTRE: Rabbitohs vs Knights, stats, video
It was a sloppy start from both sides at Accor Stadium on Saturday with five errors in the opening 10 minutes but things got better as the game progressed.
Newcastle youngster Fletcher Baker and Souths centre Taane Milne exchanged tries before Jack Wighton showed incredible strength to carry three defenders over the line and put the Rabbitohs ahead in the 20th minute.
The Knights then scored two tries in a matter of minutes with Dylan Lucas and Dane Gagai both crossing and the visitors never looked back.
Jack Cogger bagged a second half double while Gagai also completed his brace to move Newcastle into 11th on the ladder and just one win outside the top eight.
Here are three of the biggest talking points out of the match from NCA Newswire’s Martin Gabor.
BIG BUNKER PROBLEM ON EVEN OF FINALS
The NRL has a high tackle problem on the eve of the finals after Cameron Murray was sent to the sin bin 24 hours after Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton was allowed to stay on the field.
All focus on Sunday will be on the charge sheet after Murray’s high shot on Frizell late in the first half.
Crichton was hit with a grade two careless high tackle charge and will miss one game if he takes the early guilty plea for a high shot on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck that left the Warriors star concussed and forced him out of Friday’s game.
Fans were bewildered the Bulldogs skipper wasn’t sent to the sin bin, and things have gotten even more confusing after the South Sydney skipper was initially placed on report but was then marched for 10 minutes after it became clear that Tyson Frizell was in a bid way.
“Direct contact with moderate force and there are no mitigating circumstances,” referee Chris Butler said.
The Knights edge forward was quickly deemed a category one which ruled him out of the second half just minutes after the visitors lost fellow back-rower Kai Pearce-Paul who was taken to hospital with a nasty leg laceration.
Frizell’s injury saw Sebastian Su’a come on as the 18th man, but his debut didn’t go to plan with the man mountain also sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Davvy Moale which was initially missed during the run of play.
FINALS FANTASY
The Knights are just one win outside the top eight and praying for a Dragons loss after skipper Kalyn Ponga produced two dazzling plays in the space of 60 seconds to keep their finals hopes alive.
They are now up to 26 points and are level with three other teams just a win behind the Red V who they hope will lose to the Sharks.
Newcastle’s points differential is poor but they finish the year with home games against the Titans and Dolphins as they look to steal eighth spot.
And they can thank Ponga for seeing off the Rabbitohs after he broke their hearts in the second half with a big break off a kick return before he sliced through again and set up Jack Cogger for the first of his two second-half tries.
The Knights will be without their back-rowers next week but Blues star Bradman Best is a chance of returning from a hamstring injury, with both of their centres scoring strong tries on Saturday night.
KICKING CATASTROPHE
It looked like Souths might pull off an upset midway through the first half until back-to-back kick-offs by Fletcher Myers sailed out on the full to give the Knights all the momentum.
The second penalty was immediately punished by Dane Gagai who went through to score the first of his two tries.
The one positive for the hosts was Jack Wighton who scored a powerful solo try and set up another with a deft grubber in one of his best games for the club.
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