Sport
14 June, 2025
Fletcher flies for first NRL try
First NRL try. First NRL try assist. First NRL golden point game. First live national free-to-air television interview.
By Dallas Reeves
There wasn’t much Fletcher Hunt didn’t tick off the box as his blossoming four-game National Rugby League (NRL) career hit its greatest heights in Newcastle’s 26-22 victory over Manly at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, last Thursday night, June 5.
The 19-year-old had already shown his aerial skills and tenacity defensively and occasionally in attack during his emerging career.
However, those leaping skills were displayed twice to a national audience on free-to-air television, with Hunt playing a key role as the Knights charged home from 16-nil down at half-time to win by four points.
Interestingly, it was a half-time switch from Knights coach Adam O’Brien that catapulted Hunt into the spotlight. Hunt was moved to left centre for the second half, with James Schiller switching to Hunt’s original right wing position.
First, in the 53rd minute, Hunt feverishly chased down a Jack Cogger bomb, soared through the air above Manly winger Clayton Faulalo to catch the kick spectacularly, and after gaining possession but losing his footing, stayed composed to crawl over the goal-line to score a sensational try. It was his first in the NRL.
“The flying mullet from Warren … shot out of a cannon,” Channel Nine commentator Andrew Johns said of Hunt’s try.
That four-pointer was the second of three straight for Newcastle to get back to 16-all after 61 minutes. Both sides then traded tries to lock the scores at 22-all at full-time.
And then, in the 82nd minute, with the match in golden-point extra-time, Hunt attacked a Kalyn Ponga bomb, batting the ball back inside for Ponga, who collected Hunt’s sweet touch and ran 20 metres to cross and win Newcastle the contest.
Following the four-point success, Newcastle’s fifth win of the season, Hunt was interviewed live on-field by Channel Nine sports presenter Danika Mason.
Asked what he thought everyone in Warren would be doing now, Hunt replied: “Hopefully having a party for me,” he laughed.
”Hopefully they are all watching the footy and supporting the Knights.”
Mason asked about his first NRL try, which she believed was the start of the change of momentum towards the Knights. “I just like competing,” Hunt told Mason. “I just thought I’d go up for the ball. Go up and see if I could come down with it. Lucky enough, I come down with it … unreal.”
Asked has footy always been his love and passion, Hunt replied: “Footy and fishing. That’s about all I did back home.”
Hunt also added he is hoping to stay long-term and extend his time at the Knights. Mason also hinted at the resemblance to man-of-the-match, Knights five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe. “A fantastic hairdo, the two Fletchers, with the mullets,” she said.
Former NRL star and now Channel Nine commentator Paul Gallen asked Knights interchange hooker Jayden Brailey about Hunt after the match.
“Him and Fletch (Sharpey) … I get them mixed up between him and Sharpey with the mullets … two Fletchers. He (Hunt) was outstanding, every time we put a kick up, he was contesting it. He got a result at the back end of the game to get us a win. Mate, he’s unreal.”
The first NRL win landmark had already been achieved when Hunt was part of the side that defeated Penrith 25-6 at Bathurst in game two last month, but this was Hunt’s first win at home in Newcastle.
Thursday, June 5, will long be remembered as the night the boy from Warren became well-known to astute followers of the game across the country, with a vital and result-affecting performance for his side.
Six days earlier, the bunker had denied him a first NRL try against St George-Illawarra, but Hunt didn’t have to wait long to get on a NRL match scoresheet.
Hunt, raised in Warren but who spent many of his formative years between under 13s and under 18s playing with the Nyngan Tigers, has been named in the centres for Newcastle’s round 15 match tomorrow night against the Sydney Roosters at Newcastle.
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