Young Newcastle halfback Tyrone Roberts played a starring role in the Knights’ 34-6 win against the Cowboys at Hunter Stadium.
The side had a point to prove after losing to the Sea Eagles 32-0 last week and missing star players Willie Mason, Kurt Gidley and Dane Gagai due to injury.
21-year-old Roberts stepped into the shoes of regular half-back Kurt Gidley posting 14 points on the board.
The Cowboys were the first to cross the line with a converted try, their only points of the match.
But it didn’t take long for Newcastle to reply, with Roberts, Akuila Uate and Alex McKinnon scoring three tries in 10 minutes, giving them a 14-6 lead at half time.
The home side sealed the win in the second half with tries to Uate, James McManus and Darius Boyd.
The match was also the much anticipated return of club legend Danny Buderus.
He ran on midway through the first half, returning after off-season back surgery.
Coach Wayne Bennett praised Roberts’s game.
“He’s a talented player, we all know that. What he went through last year is going to help him be the player he is this year and we’ll see a lot more of him,” Bennett said.
Bennett also credited five-eighth Jarrod Mullen for his role in the win.
“The forwards were getting forward and he was playing off the back of that and the kick-chase was outstanding so it was just all about pressure and they just kept applying it. Mullen had a great kicking game,” he said.
We’ll bring you a full match report in NBN News tonight at 6.
