Fletcher Sharpe made the most of an unfamiliar start at centre on Sunday, scoring twice as Newcastle surged past Gold Coast 36-12 in Brisbane and stretched its winning run to three. The 20-year-old also produced one of the game’s defining defensive moments early on, saving a try with a strong tackle before helping the Knights pull away after halftime.
Sharpe had never started at centre in his previous 34 NRL games, but he was thrust into the role after Bradman Best was ruled out with a calf injury. Newcastle initially listed Fletcher Hunt as the replacement before switching Sharpe into the side 90 minutes before kick-off, and the gamble paid off in a performance that kept the Knights firmly in the top eight conversation.
The first half ended six-all, but Newcastle took control five minutes into the second when Greg Marzhew intercepted the ball and sprinted 90 metres to put the visitors ahead for the first time. Eight minutes later, Dom Young took a chip-and-chase chance and capitalised on an error from AJ Brimson to push the lead to 18-6.
Gold Coast briefly fought back through Kurtis Morrin in the 56th minute, but Young answered seven minutes later to restore the cushion. Dane Gagai then joined the scoring in the 66th minute after a short-side run from dummy-half, and two minutes later Sharpe raced 30 metres down the left edge for his second try. Young completed his hat-trick with seven minutes left to play, wrapping up a result that exposed the Titans’ defensive lapses and Newcastle’s growing confidence.
The win left Gold Coast second last with two wins and eight losses, while Newcastle continued the momentum from back-to-back victories and came away with a result that looked far more comfortable than the opening 40 minutes suggested. For Sharpe, it was the clearest sign yet that he can handle a new role when the Knights need it most.
