Blunt Bulldogs Too Slick for Battered Knights in Sydney Shutout

newy.com.au – The Newcastle Knights’ early-season struggles reached its lowest point on Sunday as they were blanked 20-0 by a disciplined and red-hot Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs side at Accor Stadium. What began as a test of resolve quickly became a war of attrition, and by the final whistle, Newcastle looked a shadow of their resilient best from recent seasons.

The game was barely two minutes old when the Knights’ night took its first hit. James Schiller was forced from the field for a head injury assessment, and things spiralled from there. Jacob Saifiti succumbed to a calf injury shortly after, and by the second stanza, the casualty ward was overflowing. Jack Hetherington went down clutching his shoulder and Jack Cogger followed after failing his HIA, leaving coach Adam O’Brien with no interchange options and a side stitched together by grit and desperation.

For all their injury woes, the Knights showed admirable toughness to keep the Bulldogs scoreless in the first half. Time and again they repelled Canterbury’s advances, led by a tireless defensive effort in the middle. But effort alone doesn’t win football games — not when you’re playing a Bulldogs side that’s rediscovered its bite under Cameron Ciraldo.

The dam wall finally broke early in the second half. Within the space of five minutes, Josh Curran crashed over and Jack Todd followed with a classy finish out wide, giving the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead. It was a just reward for a side that had controlled territory and possession all evening. The final blow came via Kurt Mann, who marked his 200th NRL appearance with a try against his old club, a fitting personal milestone in a dominant team performance.

As if the night couldn’t get any worse, hooker Phoenix Crossland was sent to the sin bin for tripping Toby Sexton, a moment of frustration that summed up the Knights’ disjointed and frazzled display.

For Canterbury, the win extended their unbeaten run to five straight, their best start to a season since 1993. The Bulldogs looked slick, confident and balanced across the park, with new recruit Drew Hutchison guiding the side calmly alongside Sexton, while Matt Burton’s boot kept Newcastle pinned in their own half for much of the match.

Newcastle now sit with just one win from five starts and plenty of questions swirling. Injuries have clearly played their part, but a lack of execution, direction and polish in attack is becoming a worrying trend. Kalyn Ponga, while dangerous in moments, is being forced to play too much solo football, and without key support around him, his influence is being dulled.

The Knights return home this weekend, hosting the Wests Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, 13 April 2025. It shapes as a crucial match for a team on the brink.