The Newcastle Knights made it two wins from two under Justin Holbrook with a commanding 16-36 victory over Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park, but the result was overshadowed by injuries to marquee players Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown, who both left the field during a frantic first half.
Ponga opened the scoring after backing up a Bradman Best break but immediately grabbed at his right hamstring, briefly returned after treatment, then left the field and was replaced by Fletcher Hunt. Brown soon followed after suffering a left knee medial injury while creating a try for Hunt, remaining on until halftime before being ruled out for the second half.
Despite losing two key playmakers, Newcastle surged to a 30-10 halftime lead and maintained control as Manly endured a poor defensive display, with handling errors and missed tackles compounding a disappointing home performance that drew boos from departing fans.
The Knights, who claimed the wooden spoon last season and won only six matches, have shown significant improvement under Holbrook.
