Newcastle Knights Stun South Sydney Rabbitohs in Thrilling Finals Match

Newcastle has kicked off the 2026 finals series with a thrilling 20-10 victory over South Sydney at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The Knights' win marks their first finals victory since 2013, with a sensational performance that had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

Controversy Surrounds Try

The match was not without controversy, with Souths' fans left questioning the validity of a try that was disallowed.

I said it at the time and I still think it's true now, but I think it was a fair ruling. It looked like the hand hit the ball carrying hand and not the ball, knocking the ball free. It looked sus in real time and the replay seemed to show that too. I appreciate other opinions may exist and are valid.

The try in question was a crucial moment in the game, with many fans and pundits weighing in on social media.

Knights' Strong Performance

Despite the controversy, Newcastle's strong performance was the story of the game.

Key moments included a stunning intercept by Dane Gagai, who

That's brilliant from Dane Gagai! Souths seemed so eager to get the ball in the hands of Mitchell that they ended up falling over themselves.

The Knights' victory sets up an exciting matchup for next week, with Newcastle set to take on either the Dolphins or Warriors.

South Sydney's Alex Johnston was forced to leave the game with an injury, adding to the team's woes.

Final Score

The final score was 20-10 in favor of Newcastle, with the Knights' Dom Young scoring a crucial try in the corner.

DOM YOUNG DIVES OVER IN THE CORNER! The Knights stretch the ball to the right. They stretch to the left. They stretch again to the right. Brandon Smith is over on the left edge of the Souths defence. And Young leaps over and scores in the corner after standing him up. BUT HANG ON! HAS DOM YOUNG PUT HIS BOOT ON THE LINE? My WORD that's close! No, there is grass between boot and line and that should be a try! It is!

The win was met with delight from Knights fans, who have endured some tough seasons in recent years.

Very happy for the loyal Knights fans. Lots of solid performances from their players.