DRAGONS DOWN KNIGHTS
TOM SMITH
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 13
ST GEORGE ILLAWARA 22
TARIQ Sims’ brace powered St George Illawarra to a come-from-behind victory in Newcastle, but the Knights will be more concerned about halfback Mitchell Pearce’s torn pectoral muscle.
Sims scored two second-half tries in eight minutes against his old club to haul the Dragons to the upset, after Pearce and Knights fullback Tex Hoy (hamstring) were forced off before the break, with Kurt Mann then going off with a head knock.
Saints’ third win in a row secured them the Alex McKinnon Cup, named after the second-rower who represented both clubs before his NRL career was cut short by a spinal injury in 2014.