Well, that'll do us. What a game of footy that was, really edge-of-the-knife stuff. I'm sure there'll be plenty of fallout tomorrow, but the morning is the morning and right now it's time to say good night. 

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Adam O'Brien says he empathises with the fans, says they know their footy and he's probably never heard such a frustrated stadium. 

He believes the tackle on Ponga should have been a penalty and there were two different standards when it came to the ruck but says whinging won't help the Knights at all. He takes some of the blame for the loss after getting some interchanges wrong in the first half and says the Knights sheds are pretty shattered after putting in a lot of effort. 

O'Brien  says he could see Ponga was in discomfort and says he's still in a lot of pain in the sheds. The Knights skipper could be in doubt for next week but we won't know any more until tomorrow. O'Brien calls it brave, tough and says he's amazed he kept playing at all. 

Trent Robinson says it was a well-fought game with a lot of back-and-forth, he reckons the key was attacking through the middle. 

Keary says he's proud of how the side responded to last week's performance. 

Robinson says he's very proud of Michael Jennings playing his 300th game but he doesn't offer much else - he spoke strongly about it during the week but he's very clipped on it today.

Keary is a bit more effusive in his praise, cites Jennings' comeback as an inspirational thing for the rest of the squad. 

The Sydney Roosters have overcome a week of headlines and held on for 22-20 defeat of Newcastle, who had to contend with an injury scare to Kalyn Ponga.

The NRL's decision not to honour controversial centre Michael Jennings in his 300th game had dominated discussion ahead of Thursday night's clash in Newcastle.

But attention quickly shifted to Ponga when the star fullback hurt himself unsuccessfully attempting to prevent Daniel Tupou scoring the first of his two tries.

In pain and struggling to run, Ponga played on but his suspected hip pointer injury swung the momentum of the game midway through the first half.

The talismanic Ponga was too sore to inject himself into the Knights' attack until after the half, when he came back re-energised and dangerous as usual.

After Adam Elliott burst through in the final five minutes, Ponga burst down the right side on a line break that looked as though it could have snatched the lead.

But it was too late for the home side, Manu coming up with a try-saving, and game-winning, ankle tap.

The NRL announced on Monday that Jennings's "past conduct" would preclude him from being honoured in the usual manner in his milestone game.

Jennings served a three-year drug ban between 2020 and 2023 and was found in a civil case to have sexually and verbally abused his ex-wife. He denied the claims which have not been tested in a criminal court.

The subject of scrutiny all week, Jennings played only a small role for the visitors, having led the team out, and was dominated by opposite centre Bradman Best in the first half.

It was off the back of a Best kick return that Jackson Hastings opened the scoring for the Knights in the first five minutes, before the centre charged through himself just before halftime.

Jennings blew a chance to put the Roosters in front midway through the first half when he spilt the ball at close range and was largely unsighted in the second stanza.

Hooker Smith had one of his best games as a Rooster, darting through for the visitors' third try when a sore Ponga was slow to regain his footing.

Manu, replacing the concussed James Tedesco as No.1, was just as valuable.

He looped the cut-out pass to Tupou that gave the Roosters their first try and picked a short-ball from Smith to help Victor Radley to a try.

Sitili Tupouniua's head injury assessment came back as category one in the second half, ruling the Roosters forward out of next Thursday's clash with Melbourne.

Ponga slices through on a kick return and he's in space! The cover gets him just inside the 40, one minute left, this is the chance!

Elliott nearly gets over, he's a metre out, last tackle, Brailey goes for a grubber and Terrell May makes a great slips catch to win the game for the Roosters! What a finish! 

Tupou knocks on a bomb, the Knights go back on the attack, Crossland links with Elliott and the lock forward is in right under the posts! Gagai converts and the Knights are within two with three to go! 

Crichton drops the ball on the Newcastle 40 and the Knights will go on the attack, they need something soon. 

They hoist a bomb on the last and they can't win the contest - it comes back to Manu and he makes a good surge up-field. 

Radley bursts through off a May short ball, he can't position his support runner, Ponga brings him down but the Roosters go left straight away, Crichton taps it on to May, he finds Tupou and the big winger is in for his second! Great stuff from May....important kick for Suaalii, it can put them outside a converted try....and he nails it from touch! Super kick! 

Collins drops the ball, he gets hit by Saifiti in the head so the Roosters challenge the ball. But the Bunker rules the contact was not related to the knock-on....don't know about that. But regardless, Knights ball, Roosters lose their challenge. 

After a penalty for a leg pull the Knights in attacking position, they attack down the left, Gagai gets some early ball and he beats Pauga and Tupou like it's 2015 again before diving over in the corner! But there was an obstruction in the lead up, Lucas collided with Keary. The Roosters survive.