KNIGHTS workhorse Chris Houston has shouldered the blame for Newcastle's 18-14 loss to Melbourne at Olympic Park on Saturday night.
A heartbroken Houston was in tears in the Newcastle dressing room after the match, having spilled the ball in a three-man Storm tackle in the 76th minute as the Knights tried to protect their 14-12 lead.
It was the 24-year-old toiler's only handling error in a typically busy performance, but a few plays after his error Greg Inglis put Will Chambers across for Melbourne's winning try.
Houston was inconsolable after the game and, though still devastated, took a few minutes to reflect on the turning point of a gripping contest when the team returned to Newcastle yesterday.
"We probably deserved to win the game, but I'm taking a fair rap for my dropped ball at the crucial stage. They ended up scoring next set and that killed us," Houston said. "All the boys have been really supportive but it was pretty obvious what I did. I didn't let the try in, but they shouldn't have had the ball in the first place.
"It's hard to say that one dropped ball can lose you the game, but in that case, it did."
Houston said he would spend extra time on his handling at training this week in preparation for the game against the resurgent Raiders at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Saturday.
"I was filthy last night and I'm keen to get out there next weekend and try to make amends for it," he said yesterday.
"Sometimes you get a bit of good luck, sometimes you get a bit of bad luck. I don't know, I'll just have to hit the ball-handling drills and what-not and get back to the drawing board.
"I'm not sure how it came out, but I know I just didn't have good enough control on the footy.
"I don't think there were any hands. It didn't get raked out it might have got knocked out but I just should have had it. I should have held on to it."
Houston made 31 tackles, punched out 88 metres from 12 carries and was credited with Newcastle's only line break.
Knights captain Kurt Gidley insisted Houston should not be held responsible.
"Howzo's been one of our best players all year. There's always going to be mistakes in games, but that wasn't a mistake that cost us the game, and you've got to be able to defend mistakes," Gidley said.
"Although it puts pressure on your team and that sort of thing, you've always got to be there to defend those things and help him out. There were other stages of the game where other people made mistakes that led to other tries so we won't be blaming that on him."
Houston said the Knights dominated the Storm everywhere but on the scoreboard and must take the same attitude into the game against Canberra.
"We beat them in most aspects of the game we beat them in the physical bit but we just didn't get the points, unfortunately," Houston said.
Houston could receive some consolation when NSW selectors meet tonight to pick their team for Origin III at Suncorp Stadium next week.
Gidley will be captain and fullback of yet another new-look Blues side and could be joined by Houston and Jarrod Mullen, who will come into calculations.
Richie Fa'aoso, one of several candidates being considered to replace injured Queensland props Petero Civoniceva and Ben Hannant, did his chances no harm with another spirited performance off the bench.
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