Fletcher Sharpe had a birthday to remember as he darted over for a hat-trick in the rain at Suncorp Stadium to put an end to Newcastle’s troubling five-game losing streak.
The Knights set the tone for their Magic Round battle early against the Rabbitohs as they powered around the field to gain an 18-point lead in the space of 15 minutes.
But all eyes were on Sharpe in those moments as he put his all into fulfilling his birthday wish of scoring a double in a stylish display for Newcastle.
The young five-eighth turned 21 on matchday and dived over twice in eight minutes.
Kalyn Ponga put a perfect grubber into goal for his chasing halves partner to pounce on, with Sharpe darting through the middle to score under the posts.
He followed his effort four minutes later as he weaved past four Rabbitohs defenders to burrow over the line and set Ponga up for a perfect conversion from 10 meters out.
“What a birthday this is for the young man,” Cameron Smith said on Nine.
Sharpe bulldozes over the line.
South Sydney’s search for an answer to stop Newcastle’s attacking surge was still not found in the 12th minute as Jack Cogger toppled over to score.
The momentum for Newcastle began to slow shortly after as the rain began to pour, leaving both sides struggling to steer clear of making simple errors.
Bradman Best added to his Origin case as he combined with Ponga to make a brilliant break down the sideline to score.
But attention quickly shifted back to Sharpe, who grabbed an offload from Best and swerved past Bayleigh Bentley-Hape to plant the ball down under the posts.
“They are flying the Knights,” Andrew Johns said.
The Rabbitohs’ woes remained unchanged when Isaiah Tass managed to break through Newcastle’s line to score at 30-4.
Though, his efforts were marred by concerns with his teammates as both Jye Gray and Peter Mamouzelos were forced out of the action.
Gray was forced to the sidelines with a quad cork, while it appeared Mamouzelos had suffered an elbow dislocation.
Nine’s Emma Lawrence confirmed the hamstring cork for Gray was in the same spot that he was troubled by last week against the Melbourne Storm.
“You’ve got to be careful if it’s the same spot,” Johns replied.
“They can put you out for a long time.”
Bunnies’ injury woes deepen.
Meanwhile for Mamouzelos, the hooker was assisted to the tunnel by trainers after he came down clutching at his right elbow following a tackle on Leo Thompson.
The Rabbitohs star looked in agony as he was attended to by medics.
However, Johns noted the severity of his injury marks yet another “injury to a key position” for the Rabbitohs.
