The Northern Hawks stunned the entire Newcastle Rugby League (NEWRL) competition by overcoming premiership heavyweights Cessnock 22-16 in the weekend’s Denton Engineering Cup match at Cessnock Sportsground.
The Goannas went into the clash as firm favourites in the lead-up.
However, it was the Hawks that seemed to out-enthuse last year’s grand finalists in what could be dubbed a battle of will over skill, with Northern doing the small things right and owning the key moments.
Noah Ryan, who continues to go from strength-to-strength each week, got proceedings underway early.
He jumped on the back of the Hawks forwards as they marched the Cessnock pack into their own red zone.
And, he gave TJ McLean the show-and-go to initiate the line break, then in turn drew the fullback to put Roy Simpson over for first points just seven minutes in for a 6-0 lead.
Cessnock found its groove soon after when new addition TJ McLean crossed for his maiden try as a Goanna.
He grubbered through and cleaned up a ricochet to cross over the tryline following sustained pressure on the Hawks line to level the scores.
Insert the new kid on the block.
Northern fullback Shaq Saunders, who tackle-breaks like Reeve Howard and has the speed and agility akin to Tony Pellow, broke through the Cessnock middle and went on a 50m sprint, outpacing one of the best in the NEWRL in Lewis Young to score in the corner and make it 10-6.
Right before half-time, after a scrambling passage of play, it was Hawks halfback Ryan who put on a ball-playing exhibition with a masterclass in deception.
Ten metres out, he showed great eyeline, forcing Harvey Neville to slide across.
He squared himself up on Mitch Shaw and, with the cover one off the ball, put Hawks skipper Luke Higgins over right to put the side ahead 16-6 leading into the main break.
Cessnock came out firing in the second period and it paid dividends when Jack White beat no less than four defenders and was able to contort his body and get the football down to bring the Goannas back into the contest.
He showed great balance in his running and his left foot step throughout the contest and is a player to watch. Hawks 16-12.
In previous seasons, this is the momentum swing that kills the Hawks and they end up on the end of a 38-16 scoreline, living in the realm of what could have been.
We’ve all seen this movie before… and even the most ardent Northern fan would concede they had concerns at this stage.
But, they would be wrong. The new resilient Hawks dug in and rolled the sleeves up.
The big men kept things rolling. Ogden, Jones, Simpson and Higgins continued to take on the Cessnock pack, competing at the ruck in every possession.
This was the grinding, effort-based football that has been much talked about by Steve Simpson.
However, now the talk is turning into action… and the Hawks are playing the style of a genuine top-five team.
In the 55th minute, Ryan went to the air with a towering bomb in a 50/50 contest, with Northern jerseys surrounding the football.
It ended up in the hands of Kiah Cooper to extend their lead to 22-12.
The football gods were smiling on the Hawks but the clock wasn’t — plenty of time left for a Goannas revival.
In the 66th minute, Brent Barnes produced a Superman finish into the corner for a very athletic put-down, taking the game to 22-16 with 14 minutes to go.
Both sides were on edge — Cessnock needed points and the Hawks needed to defend their way to a victory, something that has not been their strength since their inception.
The Goannas continued to throw the football around.
White, Musgrove and Barnes all went close to busting the line but, in the final seconds, Cessnock captain Reed Hugo made a break down the left edge with the siren sounding in the background.
He had the line in his sights, but the Hawks cover came across to seal an emphatic win.
This was Northern’s first-ever win at Cessnock in its history, against a Goannas side that is well-coached and full of talent in a contest fitting of a feature match.
For the hosts, they now recalibrate for a tough road trip to Central for a 6pm Saturday stitch-up.
For the Hawks, they walk away with confidence and self-belief leading into a Sunday showdown with Souths at Townson.
IN OTHER MATCHES
LAKES UNITED drew with SOUTH NEWCASTLE 18-all
With no men left on the bench and almost an entire half of football to play, a pink and yellow-clad Lakes United ground out a draw against a powerful South Newcastle side in front of a huge crowd at Cahill Oval, adorned in pink to celebrate the fourth edition of Emma’s Warriors Day.
Souths opened the scoring with Matt Moon off a smart Mitch Black grubber.
Then flyer Jacob Afflick crossed nine minutes later to make it 10-0 in ominous signs for Lakes.
Will Smith chased through on a kick that every Lion had given up on, assuming it would roll dead, but came up with downward pressure inches before the dead ball line to score.
Matt Cooper scored a few minutes later to make it 12-10.
Then, a minute out from half-time, Sione Mata’utia stormed onto a crash ball to make it 16-10 to the home side.
When Mata’utia crossed again to make it 18-10, the roof was lifted off the Cahill Oval grandstand and it looked as though the football gods were riding the hosts.
However, Ethan Fowles spun, stepped and weaved his way through to level it up at 18-all in a thriller that was a draw on the field, but a win for the Emma’s Warriors charity and the Newcastle Rugby League community.
CENTRAL NEWCASTLE d WESTERN SUBURBS 18-14
The game with so many backstories didn’t disappoint when Central travelled to Harker Oval in what was a reunion for many players.
But, it was the Butcher Boys who out-enthused the home side on Old Boys Day by a tight margin.
Central kept their formula simple and executed better.
They continue to build and improve each week and have started with a 3-1 record despite losing Chad O’Donnell.
In stark contrast, Wests have gone 1-3 to start the campaign and have a big mountain to climb when they host Maitland this week.
The Central Newcastle revival can no longer be seen as a one-off — it’s now proven momentum.
And, the man behind the framework is Lucas Miller.
KURRI KURRI drew with THE ENTRANCE 12-all
Both teams walked away with a draw in a high-quality affair that had the most bull in play of any match across the round.
Each had opportunities to win the contest but were unable to convert pressure into points such was the physicality of the contest that was an outright arm wrestle.
The result says more about Kurri, who has now gone toe-to-toe with heavyweights Cessnock and the Tigers and are slowly playing their way back into form.
For the Entrance, injuries have hampered them significantly with the majority of their stars missing so far through the opening rounds.
But, they’ve let good opportunities to bank points slip and need a strong performance against Macquarie this weekend to kick start a run.
MAITLAND d MACQUARIE 36-14
A dour contest that turned into a slugfest. On a high-cut, slow track at Lyall Peacock, Macquarie showed improvement against the reigning premiers.
Brock Lamb and Luke Knight came in for some heavy late treatment off the ball, which will no doubt be reviewed.
It was a scrappy win from the premiers, who at times drifted away from the formula that has served them so well, in a game that was more malicious than memorable.
Round four didn’t just give us results — it gave us a mew script.
The Hawks proved they’re no longer there to make up the numbers, Central has turned belief into habit, and the competition as a whole just got a whole lot tighter.
The gap between contender and pretender is shrinking by the week.
What do Wests do next, are the Tigers in a slump, when do the Goannas fire?
If one thing’s for sure, it’s the sides that can’t live in the grind are about to get found out.
NEWRL SHORTS
SLIM SHADY
The Lucas Miller blonde hair dye is all the talk among the coaching fraternity. Having now been a victim of his own wheel, is the new hair colour the key to Central’s momentum? Will it gain traction? Will we see Spider Anderson with bright flowing locks? Either way, it’s a sign of a playing group that’s connected and led by a coach with both serious and fun in his repertoire.
MR 200
Nick Glohe, one of the best people in rugby league, will mark his 200th appearance in a Seagulls jumper this weekend. A true clubman who carried the place through its darkest times. Get down to Cahill Oval and pay your respects.
MORE KILOMETRES FOR MYLES?
Mail continues that Myles Lee Taueli is in talks with a Coalfields club after pulling out of Wyong RLCC following an off-season injury at Run Nation.
SHOPPING AROUND
Which forward, unhappy at his current Lake Macquarie-based club, is quietly shopping himself around to three different NEWRL outfits?
For more sports stories:
- League number one sport in Hunter, says NRL’s Dean Bosnich
- Knights back with a bang to pip Souths in try shootout
- GALLERY… Jets bringing pride, silverware back to Newcastle
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