NRL: Kalyn Ponga-inspired Newcastle Knights hand Canberra Raiders yet another home thrashing

All four of their losses at Canberra Stadium this season have been by at least 22 points, their latest a 28-6 thrashing by the Newcastle Knights on Saturday.

They've also been beaten by Penrith (41 points), Manly (28) and the New Zealand Warriors (22) at home this season.

Despite having a 5-4 winning home record, the four losses are why their points differential now sits at minus 78.

And if there was ever any doubt whether Kalyn Ponga was a fullback, his effort on Saturday should end that debate.

He was everywhere in the Knights' fourth win in a row - especially in the first half.

Not even the Raiders' NRLW team's historic first win - in their first home game - could inspire them, despite wearing the same jerseys to mark the occasion.

The Raiders will anxiously await the match review committee after fullback Sebastian Kris was put on report for taking out Ponga's legs mid-air.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart wasn't overly concerned with the incident, labelling it an accident.

Ponga was also forced off for yet another head injury assessment after he copped an accidental knee to the head, but he was able to return to the game.

Raiders second-rower Hudson Young also appeared to be struggling with a wrist injury, but he completed the game and Stuart said he was fine.

The Raiders coach said it was a "very bad day" after a solid three months.

He again admitted they need to be better at home, with upcoming games against the Wests Tigers - next Sunday - Canterbury Bulldogs and Brisbane at Canberra Stadium.

"We've spoken about being stronger here [at Canberra Stadium]," Stuart said.

"I don't think [the four big losses] is going to be the reason to 'steel us up'.

"We have to be honest with ourselves ... we've got to be better at home."

Back playing at fullback, Ponga tormented the Raiders.

They struggled to handle his potency in attack, especially when he chimed in on the left edge.

And the early signs were ominous - Ponga making a line break on his very first kick return after the Raiders' very first set.

It was only a perfectly-timed tackle from Kris that prevented him from scoring.

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Not that it kept him out for long - Ponga finished off a Lachlan Fitzgibbon break after Jackson Hastings put the second-rower through a hole in the seventh minute and his quick hands played a role in Tyson Gamble scoring in the second half.

A Hastings cut-out pass put winger Greg Marzhew in after some sloppy play by Raiders enforcer Josh Papali'i.

Knights winger Dominic Young - the NRL's leading try scorer - took his tally to 20 and made it 20-0 at half-time.

That was despite Canberra leading the tackled-in-the-opposition's-20 statistic 24-8. Their lack of potency wasn't helped by a 56 per cent completion rate.

Canberra's right edge struggled to contain a potent left-side Knights attack they've had problems with in the past.

It's been a defensive concern for the Green Machine all season - they're the second worst right edge in the NRL.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien almost sheepishly praised Ponga when asked whether this performance put to bed where the Queenslander should play.

"He's doing a bloody good job at fullback. Tyson Gamble's doing a good job at six," O'Brien said.

AT A GLANCE

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 28 (Kalyn Ponga, Greg Marzhew, Dominic Young, Tyson Gamble tries; Ponga 6 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 6 (Jordan Rapana try; Jarrod Croker goal) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Adam Gee. Crowd: 15,487.

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