If you told any rugby league fan in March that the Knights, wooden-spooners last season, would be up by 12 points in this year’s grand final, they would have laughed at you.
asserted
they → tell → you
Is it worse to not be in the contest at all, like Parramatta against Penrith in 2022, or lead by two converted tries and then lose the decider by a solitary point?
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it → lead → point
You will have to ask the Newcastle players, whose rags-to-riches story missed out on its happy ending on Sunday evening as the Roosters secured a 19-18 victory.
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Roosters → have → victory
The Newcastle spirit, cited so often this week, took them so close to the ultimate prize.
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spirit → cite → prize
In the end, a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal 10 minutes from the death was all that separated them from the premiership.
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that → separate → premiership
As Roosters players sprinted into the middle of Accor Stadium, toasting their first title since 2019, dejected Knights players slumped on the turf.
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players → sprint → turf
Newcastle were pinned in their own half for the majority of the match, and it was emblematic of their fighting season.
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it → pin → season
They were always going to have to do it the hard way and were worn down by the Roosters’ completion rate (90 per cent) and stabbed in the heart by Mark Nawaqanitawase’s terrific second try in the right corner in the 59th minute.
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They → go → minute
In two seasons, he has elevated his status to superstardom, with rugby league in disbelief at his looming departure for Japanese rugby.
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league → elevate → rugby
All square with 26 minutes to go is a broadcaster’s dream, but was a nightmare for Novocastrian heart rates.
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square → go → rates
Adversity, underdogs and battlers punching above their weight are intoxicating for neutrals.
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Adversity → punch → neutrals
Newcastle had it all.
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Newcastle → have → it
Saturday’s horrific car accident in Newcastle had added a sombre element to the narrative.
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accident → add → narrative
A city that prides itself on producing hard-working people hadn’t come together like this since the Knights’ last grand final in 2001.
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that → pride → 2001
There was an unmistakable energy around Newcastle this week and the players leant into it.
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players → be → it
But vibes and houses painted red and blue don’t win grand finals.
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vibes → paint → finals
Even then, it would be a script almost too far-fetched to believe.
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it → believe → ?
The Roosters showed why with a meticulous game plan executed perfectly by its senior players.
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Roosters → show → players
Andrew Johns, his heart with Newcastle but his head with the Roosters, said during the week the boys from Bondi should win by 30 points.
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boys → say → points
Even he knew it was going to be a monumental task for his beloved Knights to keep riding the emotional wave they had surfed deep into September.
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they → know → September
A Roosters ambush, on the same turf onto which players had sprinkled sand from Bondi Beach on Saturday, never eventuated as Newcastle weathered the storm and defended their line with vigour.
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Newcastle → sprinkle → vigour
Referee Adam Gee raised eyebrows when he allowed Kalyn Ponga to stay on the field after a high shot on Victor Radley.
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Ponga → raise → Radley
How the Knights captain escaped the sin bin for direct contact with the head was mystifying.
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escaped → escape → head
James Tedesco was immense with ball in hand, Cherry-Evans got his fairytale ending, while Spencer Leniu took his angry pills and came good when it mattered on the grand stage.
When Ponga crossed for his length-of-the-field try in the 29th minute, the Knights were suddenly 12-0 up.
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Knights → get → minute
“I could imagine Newcastle is rocking,” Johns said in commentary.
uncertain
Johns → imagine → commentary
No “kidnapping” of Silverchair’s Daniel Johns to get the party started like in 1997.
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party → get → 1997
New York is the city that never sleeps, but Newcastle was primed to give the Big Apple a run for its money this week.
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Newcastle → sleep → money
The Knights faithful will get to bed eventually.
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faithful → get → bed
But the nightmare of losing a grand final after being 12-0 up will haunt them for a long time.
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nightmare → lose → time
Let’s hope it’s not another 25 years before they’re back.
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they → hope → ?
The Aporia
