Live: Knight sent off for alleged homophobic slur, Dolphins superstar sidelined

It’s been a proper shootout between the Dolphins and Tigers.

Neither coach will be particularly happy with their team’s discipline, but they’ve both converted their opportunities pretty well in the dangerzone.

The Dolphins are going down the left, targeting the area vacated by Patrick Herbert and his replacement, Heamasi Makasini, makes a poor read, diving in and leaving a gap behind him for Connelly Lemuelu to steam through to score.

And Jamayne Isaako converts for the 12-10 lead.

The Tigers’ right centre is holding his right shoulder, ironically injured while trying to lay a shot on Kodi Nikorima. And he’s straight off with the trainer.

Meanwhile, we receive news that Jock Madden has failed his HIA, so the Tigers have already brought on Heath Mason and now Heamasi Makasini is on the park.

They’re decent replacements, but certainly wouldn’t have been the plan for Benji Marshall today. He’s already used Fonua Pole, so he’ll only be able to use one of Charlie Murray, Josese Lanyon and Mavrik Geyer for the rest of the game.

I thought Jarome Luai threw the ball too early, but left winger Starford Toa makes it work, creating something out of nothing.

He steps inside Jamayne Isaako, bursts through the tackle of Isaako and Jack Bostock, bumps Brad Schneider and carries Tom Gilbert and Trai Fuller over the line.

What a mighty effort.

Herbie Farnworth comes up with a try-saver on Patrick Herbert out on the wing and then the Tigers reload with Jahream Bula flying and coming down with a bomb a metre out, but no fewer than five Doplhins arrive immediately to hold him up.

The high kick goes up and once again Jack Bostock comes down with it cleanly.

He keeps his legs moving and is just ankle tapped by Taylan May, managing to throw a behind-the-back offload as he goes to ground. He misses his target but Kodi Nikorima arrives later and toes it ahead. He’s taken out by Api Koroisau (legally according to the officials) and it dribbles towards the dead-ball line, shepherded by Starford Toa.

Ray Stone arrives late and tries to bat it back into Toa, but he’s the last one to touch it as they go dead.

So, it’s a 20m tap to the Tigers.

Got all that?

My word, Jarome Luai goes within centimetres of scoring a try, but the play is called back for a forward pass from the Sione Fainu offload. I’ve got to say, if that’s forward, scratch off 60 per cent of the passes thrown in any attacking position.

To make matters worse, Jock Madden is hit after passing by Morgan Knowles in a head clash that leaves the Tigers halfback bloodied. No penalty AND Madden has to go off for an HIA.

Brutal for the Tigers.

The Dolphins are missing two or three of their best attacking weapons, but still have plenty of strike and they show it off to send Herbie Farnworth over on the left.

Connelly Lemuelu runs a hard unders line as Brad Schneider throws the ball out the back to Kodi Nikorima. The Dolphins are up flat and it leaves Patrick Herbert and Sunia Turuva having to guess, and Nikorima hits Farnworth short to stroll over untouched.

Jack Bostock is chasing a high cross-field kick and Jarome Luai weaves like thread on a loom to get in his way. Bostock runs into his back and bundles him over, and somehow it’s a penalty for the Tigers?

The Dolphins have completed just 2/4 sets after Oryn Keeley drops the ball cold one off the ruck.

The middles look exhausted but they get a gift of a penalty after Trai Fuller catches Api Koroisau’s grubber, which richocheted off the upright.

I thought Jarome Luai was done, down with a shoulder injury after an off-ball shot by Oryn Keeley, but he gets back into the line after the Tigers get a set restart ON THE LAST and rolls in the grubber for Sione Fainu to reach out and ground the ball.

The Dolphins skin the Tigers for numbers on the left, then go right to Jamayne Isaako, who hits them with a goosey and almost creates enough space, but just steps on the sideline as he tries an audacious putdown.

The first kick of the afternoon for the Dolphins goes up relatively innocuously, but Sunia Turuva still makes a meal of it, overrunning it and bobbling it off his shoulder. He does a great job of regathering before it hits the ground.

The kick came from his old Penrith teammate Brad Schneider, who’s stepping in for Isaiya  Katoa as the Dolphins’ halfback.

The Tigers and Dolphins are off and running at Campbelltown Stadium, with the Tigers making it through their first set without any trouble.

Newcastle back rower Asu Kepaoa was sent off during Friday night’s NSW Cup game for an alleged homophobic slur.

It occurred in the final minutes of the first half against the Dragons.

“The incident will be reviewed by the NSWRL match review committee on Monday,” a NSWRL spokesperson said.

Look away now, Dragons fans …

Big news for the Dolphins is the injury to halfback Isaiya Katoa,  with the superstar ruled out at captain’s run yesterday.

In better news, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is backing up after only playing a few minutes in Origin II on Wednesday night, although we’ll see how much (if at all) he plays off the bench. Max Plath, Tom Flegler, Selwyn Cobbo and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow aren’t backing up.

Hello and welcome to the 16th Saturday of the NRL season.

We’ve got a full slate of games for you, with the Tigers and Dolphins up first from 3pm.

After that, the Titans host the mighty Penrith Panthers, before the Bulldogs and Manly face off at Homebush.

Stick with us as we bring you every moment.