Knights coach Justin Holbrook agonised over it but was comfortable with his decision to sit out Origin stars Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Lucas from Newcastle’s 22-20 victory over the Dragons on Friday night.
Ponga starred in Queensland’s 44-24 thumping of NSW at the MCG 48 hours earlier and, though keen to captain the Knights on Friday, was given the night off.
Lucas had few opportunities to shine in his Origin debut for the Blues and, facing speculation he will struggle to retain his position for the July 8 decider in Brisbane, was desperate to back up against the Dragons.
Holbrook waited until the morning of the game before omitting Lucas and calling up Francis Manulelua to start as Newcastle’s left-edge back-rower.
“He really wanted to play but it was sort of my decision,” Holbrook said.
Knights stars and Origin rivals recap Game 2 and look ahead to the Dragons clash
“I sat on it last night [Thursday] and I said I’ll wait until game day, and I spoke to him and he said, ‘I feel pretty good’, but I just thought it just didn’t sit right with me.
“Two-day turnaround [from] his first Origin game – interstate too, coming back from Melbourne – and we’d sort of prepared enough at training with Francis there, so I just rang him and said I feel better going without you, to be honest.”
Manulelua played 74 minutes and Thomas Cant, who filled in on the right edge while Jermaine McEwen served a club-imposed one-game suspension for disciplinary reasons, played the whole game and topped the tackle count with 53.
Sandon Smith Try
Ponga, Lucas and McEwen will all return against Wests Tigers in Newcastle next Sunday.
“Obviously he (Lucas) is one of our best players, and when games get tough, they’re our two best talkers – Kalyn and Dyl Lucas – so you’d love them to be out there,” Holbrook said.
“But the fact that we got through it with a win, we’ll be better for it next Sunday, that’s for sure. Full credit to both those boys for wanting to play, but we were the ones that copped the shortest turnaround and the opposition were not affected.
“So that was tempting to play them, but I felt the right call [was made] to rest them.”
The victory was Newcastle’s third straight home win after similar close calls against the Eels (28-22) and Rabbitohs (42-38) in the past six weeks.
The Knights have a chance to extend their winning streak in front of their passionate fans when they host Wests Tigers and the Dolphins on successive Sundays.
Fletcher Sharpe Try
“Hopefully we can start to build a bit of rhythm there,” veteran forward Tyson Frizell said.
“We’ve sort of had a stop-start kind of middle of the season, with a few byes and Origin and things like that too, so for us it’s like starting a new season and a run of 11 games straight.
“It’s a good starting point again, everyone’s starting to build, everyone’s starting to play some good footy, so we need to be improving.
“Obviously it’s not our perfect game, but we’ll be better for it next week.”
