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Live sport on SN this weekendWarriors seal home finals with win over gritty shorthanded Knights
Sebastian Tan, AAP • August 30th, 2026 6:40 pm
Warriors | Photo: AAP
Jett Cleary has announced himself to the NRL with a fantastic performance to spearhead the Warriors to a crucial 46-32 win over a 12-man Newcastle.
Knowing a victory at Go Media Stadium on Sunday would all but lock up a home qualifying final, the Kiwis were handed a pre-game setback, with halfback Te Maire Martin rested on his return from a hamstring niggle.
It meant 21-year-old debutant Cleary was thrust into the fray alongside two-game five-eighth Luke Hanson.
But the club's newest halves pairing - buoyed by having Cleary's brother Nathan and father Ivan in the stands - showed impressive maturity as the Warriors held off the determined Newcastle.
Knights star Saifiti sees red against Warriors | Sport Nation
Cleary (three try assists, 220 kicking metres) was given a leg-up after Knights prop Jacob Saifiti was sent off in the 12th minute for a reckless high tackle on club debutant Luke Laulilii, who was treated on the field before being taken off and failing an HIA.
Although back-rower Jermaine McEwen stormed over for the visitors minutes later, the home side then piled on eight tries to three to keep alive their hopes of securing a first minor premiership since 2002.
The Warriors (40 points, +309) will need to beat Manly on Saturday and hope second-placed Penrith (40 points, +308) lose or win by a smaller margin than them to snatch top spot.
Adding more pain to their defeat, Newcastle back-rower Francis Manuleleua picked up an elbow injury and will go for scans.
The Knights (14-10) will also rue what could have been if they had 13 players, as they now must rely on the Sydney Roosters to beat South Sydney on Friday to lock up a home final.
Jett Cleary makes his mark for the Warriors! | Sport Nation
Newcastle opened the scoring when Fletcher Hunt soared across the line, before five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe danced through the Warriors defence and handed it off to a barnstorming Manuleleua.
But the visitors' afternoon soured after Saifiti's send-off and McEwen's try.
In-form second-rower Jacob Laban scored, before hooker Wayde Egan and lock Erin Clark made light work of their opponents' frazzled defence.
A booming Cleary kick landed in the hands of Adam Pompey, who offloaded it to substitute Demitric Vaimauga, but Hunt crossed for his second to help the Knights trail 22-20 at the break.
Centre Ali Leiataua and Pompey put the Warriors in the box seat, but winger Greg Marzhew snared a quick double to close the deficit to two points.
The Kiwis opened up some breathing room when they spread left and found winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira, before Laban surged over to complete the roller-coaster win.
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