R8 Knights v Panthers - Game Day Thread

2026 Game Day Archive
1
Newcastle Knights
Penrith Panthers
Telstra Premiership Round 8
McDonald Jones Stadium
April 26 2:00 PM
Newcastle Knights
badge.svg100×100 1.16 KB
 Telstra Premiership
Round 8
Penrith Panthers
McDonald Jones Stadium
April 26 2:00 PM

Game Day Information
:rugby_football: Match Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers
:stadium: Venue McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle NSW
:clock10: Time Sunday, 26 April 2026 2:00pm
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via Ticketmaster
:rugby_football: Other Matches NSWCUP Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers 26/4 11:15am
JFLEGG Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers 25/4 1:00pm1
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather
Loading weather…
:tv: Broadcast :tv: Fox League (Channel 502) [LIVE]
:kayo: Kayo Sports [LIVE]
:desktop_computer: NRL Live Pass [LIVE]
:radio: ABC Sydney 702AM [LIVE]
:radio: SEN Sydney 1170AM [LIVE]

(1) Jersey Flegg Cup to be played at Newcastle Knights COE

:rugby_football: Telstra Premiership | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 44 Tries Dylan Edwards (3), Brian To’o (2), Nathan Cleary, Freddy Lussick, Izack Tago.
Goals Nathan Cleary (6/8)
/50px Newcastle Knights 12 Tries Phoenix Crossland, Dylan Brown.
Goals Sandon Smith (2/2)

:rugby_football: Knock On Effect NSW Cup | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 42 Tries Haami Loza (2), Sione Fonua (2), Jakeb Vailalo, Luron Patea, Jirah Liddiard, Jesse McLean.
Goals Zakauri Clarke (5/8)
/50px Newcastle Knights 26 Tries Siteni Taukamo (3), Logan Aoake, Wilson De Courcey.
Goals Mitch Henderson (3/6)

:rugby_football: Jersey Flegg Cup | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 42 Tries Hunter Bell (3), Tyson Sangalang (2), Ellyjah Birve, Hokafonu Lemoto, Isaiah Cochrane.
Goals Kye Raven (2/4), Hunter Bell (2/3), Darcy Feltham (1/1)
/50px Newcastle Knights 16 Tries Brendan Couzens, Te Kaio Cranwell, Sosaia Latu.
Goals (2/3)

Postgame Media

MATCH REPORT

PRESS CONFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

+ Coming Soon

PANTHER PRIDE PLAYERS RANKINGS

2

Teams & Match Officials

Telstra Premiership

Newcastle Knights Penrith Panthers
TEAM
Fletcher Sharpe 1 FB 1 Dylan Edwards
Dominic Young 2 WG 2 Thomas Jenkins
Dane Gagai 3 CE 3 Paul Alamoti
Fletcher Hunt 4 WG 4 Casey McLean
James Schiller 5 CE 5 Brian To’o
Sandon Smith 6 FE 6 Blaize Talagi
Dylan Brown 7 HB 7 Nathan Cleary ©
© Jacob Saifiti 8 FW 8 Moses Leota
Phoenix Crossland 9 HK 9 Freddy Lussick
Trey Mooney 10 FW 10 Lindsay Smith
Francis Manuleleua 11 SR 11 Isaiah Papali’i
Jermaine McEwen 12 SR 12 Luke Garner
Mat Croker 13 LK 13 Isaah Yeo
INTERCHANGE
Harrison Graham 14 IN 14 Jack Cogger
Pasami Saulo 15 IN 15 Scott Sorensen
Cody Hopwood 16 IN 16 Kalani Going
Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana 17 IN 17 Billy Phillips
Asu Kepaoa 19 IN 18 Izack Tago
Kyle McCarthy 20 IN 19 Jack Cole
RESERVES
Peter Hola 21 RS 20 Luron Patea :red_triangle_pointed_down:
Lachlan Crouch 22 RS 21 Billy Scott
Wilson De Courcey 23 RS 22 Sione Fonua :red_triangle_pointed_down:
COACH
Justin Holbrook HC HC Ivan Cleary

NSWRL Matches

Knock on Effect NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
:rugby_football: Knights v Panthers :rugby_football: Knights v Panthers
:clock3: Sunday 26/4 11:15pm :clock3:Saturday 25/4 1:00pm
:stadium: McDonald Jones Stadium :stadium: Newcastle Knights COE
TEAM TEAM
1. Jaxen Edgar 1. Darcy Feltham
2. Jesse Mclean 2. Cameron Kanaan
3. Sione Fonua :red_triangle_pointed_up: 3. Hunter Bell
4. Patrick Moimoi 4. Josh Debritt
5. Jirah Liddiard 5. Ranui Kapua
6. Jack Cole 6. Tua Patea
7. Kurt Falls 7. Ellyjah Birve
8. Jakeb Vailalo 8. Hokafonu Lemoto
9. Billy Scott 9. Ryan Goodsell
10. Tom Ale 10. Isaiah Scanlan
11. Zakauri Clarke 11. Tyson Sangalang
12. Harry Armstrong 12. Danny Johnstone
13. Luron Patea :red_triangle_pointed_up: 13. Kye Raven ©
INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGE
14. Nick Murphy 14. Harrison Bull
15. Toby Crosby 15. Lucas Rossi
16. Josh Ruxton 16. Talmage Brown
17. Cayne Nicholas 17. Leo-Stipe Latu
RESERVES RESERVES
18. Isaiah Cochrane
19. Tom Goodfield
COACH COACH
HC TBA HC Scott Thompson

:small_red_triangle::small_red_triangle_down: Promoted/Relegated | :small_orange_diamond: Positional Change

Match Officials

Telstra Premiership K.O.E NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
Referee Gerard Sutton TBA TBA
Sideline Official Phil Henderson TBA TBA
Jon Stone TBA TBA
Video Referee Chris Butler - -

Referee Success Rate

Referee Active Since 2026 Overall Pen. For Pen. Against Ratio
Gerard Sutton 2009 (0/1) 0% (36/60) 60.00% 244 252.5 0.97
3

:mega: Teams and Match Officials have been updated.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP

OPPOSITION TEAM

KNOCK ON EFFECT NSW CUP

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

4

Would I be correct in that the Knights first grade team is one of the few (if not the only) teams not to feature any former Panthers?

5

Are you referring to any grade SHF?

Asu Kepaoa came from NSW Cup

6

I see that the NRL expert tipping have all tipped Panthers and that makes me nervous. Hopefully the young players are not seeing this, thinking the game is already won. Every team, no matter how poor, wants to knock over the Panthers.

1 Like
7

Wilson De Courcey is a Panthers junior. Played for St Clair.

1 Like
8

The thing that worries me with this game is backing up after the trip to Darwin last week. Apart from the longer flights, playing in that heat & humidity, then going into extra time will have taken a lot out of us. Wouldn’t surprise me if we were a bit flat in this game.

3 Likes
9

Agree, Mutley. The conditions last week may have taken their toll on the side, and the Knights will be up for this. I like the look of the Knights side, and Justin Holbrook has them playing well. This will be a tough game. Fingers crossed we can get over the line.

2 Likes
10

watching the 3 games this weekend so far, there seems to be a lot more tolerance towards the defenders ‘time’ in the ruck, with tackles that for sure would have been ‘guess-agains’ last week not this week? Maybe a walking back on the interpretation or maybe just inconsistently with the whistle blowers??

Perhaps something for IC to consider for tomorrow

1 Like
11

Updated Team List

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has updated his squad for the Anzac Round clash with the Knights this Sunday at McDonald Jones Stadium.

12

Depends on whether it is a nrl preferred team.

1 Like
13

We have the advantage of a 9 day turnaround but shouldn’t (and I expect won’t) take the knights for granted.

Memories of the ambush in Bathurst last year should still be fresh in the players minds.

Some blow outs in other games this round

1 Like
14

Dominant first half. Edwards has been on fire.

1 Like
15

Comprehensive victory, where we never looked like losing.

2 Likes
16

Tago played well coming off the bench. Recipe for future games.

2 Likes
17

Just a shame the Darwin game slowed them down. :rofl: Otherwise the score could have been anything. :thinking:

2 Likes
18

For the first time this season it was our right edge on fire.

Leota continues his career best form, Edwards looking as strong as ever. To’o and Alomotti forming a deadly combination both in attack and defence.

And all in all we never seemed to get into a rhythm, yet put 44 points on them.

2 Likes
19

:mega: Submit your Panther Pride Player Ratings! Ratings poll for Round 6 open now here.

20

:rugby_football: Knock On Effect NSW Cup | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 42 Tries Haami Loza (2), Sione Fonua (2), Jakeb Vailalo, Luron Patea, Jirah Liddiard, Jesse McLean.
Goals Zakauri Clarke (5/8)
/50px Newcastle Knights 26 Tries Siteni Taukamo (3), Logan Aoake, Wilson De Courcey.
Goals Mitch Henderson (3/6)

:rugby_football: Jersey Flegg Cup | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 42 Tries Hunter Bell (3), Tyson Sangalang (2), Ellyjah Birve, Hokafonu Lemoto, Isaiah Cochrane.
Goals Kye Raven (2/4), Hunter Bell (2/3), Darcy Feltham (1/1)
/50px Newcastle Knights 16 Tries Brendan Couzens, Te Kaio Cranwell, Sosaia Latu.
Goals (2/3)