REPORT | Newcastle Thunder 18 Dons 33 (Betfred Championship Play-Offs Preliminary Final)

The Dons booked their place in the Betfred Championship Play-Offs Grand Final with a scintillating victory against Newcastle Thunder at the Crow Trees Ground.

Richard Horne's men deservedly led at the break thanks to a Bureta Faraimo first half brace.

And they kicked on in the second half with thanks to tries from Luke Briscoe and Connor Jones to take the win on the road.
Horne made two changes to the side that beat and saw off Barrow Raiders in their Sudden Death Play-Off six days earlier, with Luke Briscoe and Bureta Faraimo both handed spots inside the starting XIII.
Both sides attempted to start fast, and Newcastle were the first of the two to go close on four minutes, with the Dons' defense putting the football behind for a goal line drop-out.
The away side then almost found themselves in and over the try line after nine minutes, only for a big switching pass out to the left-hand side to be cut out, forcing Faraimo into an impressive recovery tackle.
But six minutes later, the visitors did trouble the scoreboard operator for the first time. Connor Robinson powered his way to the line and was held short by a matter of yards, leaving Faraimo to take on the offload and slide over.
Faraimo was held up himself on the try line in the very next minute from play restarting.
The winger was at the centre of Horne's side's attacking play in the opening 40 minutes and secured a personal brace for himself on 21 minutes. An impressive pass out wide to the left found Faraimo, who ran clear into plenty of space to score his second try of the day. Robinson added the extras.
After 27 minutes, Faraimo had himself a hat-trick of tries. After a great spell of Dons play, the visitors handed off to the number two, who held off his man on the tackle and rolled over the line. Robinson converted. 0-16.
Eight minutes later, the Dons were awarded a penalty for a high shot from a Thunder man, and Robinson elected to kick for the two points. The away side's number seven pinned the resulting kick off the tee straight between the uprights.
The Dons were in total and complete control of the play in the first half and added an extra point through a drop goal from Robinson on 38 minutes to further their advantage on the scoreboard to 19 points.
Horne's men could have added to their points-scoring tally throughout the remaining two minutes before the half time hooter, only to see the 0-19 scoreline remain at the interval.
The away side went after more points to their name in the second half and scored again 12 minutes after the restart. Briscoe chased after a bouncing and bobbling ball on the right wing and then kicked it on himself beyond the last Newcastle man to ground inside the goal area, to the right of the sticks. Robinson added the extras again.
After 57 minutes, the Dons crossed the try line again. Following repeat sets, Connor Jones took on the football and added another four points on the left. Robinson converted again.
Thunder responded with their first try of the afternoon seven minutes later as Jude Ferreira scored on the right.
On 71 minutes, Brad Ward added Newcastle's second try to the left. After missing the conversion attempt, Myles Harrison added a penalty two points that Brad Knowles also received a yellow card for.
The Dons saw out the rest of the remaining time professionally, however Will Roberts added a try for Newcastle after the final hooter to give a final scoreline on the scoreboard that read "Newcastle 18 Donny 33".
The Dons had successfully secured their place in the division's Grand Final with a mightily ephatic performance and win.
Dons: Holmes, Briscoe, Lyne, Boas, Faraimo, Aston, Robinson, Knowles, C. Jones, Mustapha, Sutcliffe, Johnson, J, Jones. Interchanges: Matagi, Misky, Hepi, Whitehead.