Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce inspired the nib Newcastle Knights to a stunning 45-12 win over St George Illawarra at Mudgee on Sunday.
Their four-straight win doubled as Nathan Brown’s 100th NRL win as a coach.
It was a fast start from the Knights with Mitchell Pearce threading a perfectly weighted grubber kick through the line for Tim Glasby to pounce.
Leading 6-0 after five minutes, a penalty from in front of the posts was a gift two points the Knights couldn’t refuse.
KP splits the Dragons wide open
Kalyn Ponga nailed the goal for an eight-point lead after 11 minutes.
Three minutes later, Danny Levi jumped down the short side and gave it to Ponga.
The No.1 blitzed five Dragons to score a 30-metre solo try.
Leading 14-0, the Dragons restarted play with a Zac Lomax restart going out on the full.
Moments later, the Knights appeared to have Knights struck again off a Pearce bomb but the video found a knock-on from Levi.
Pearce puts it on a platter for Glasby
When Ponga was taken off the ball, chasing a Pearce bomb, the Knights slotted another penalty goal to extend the lead 16-0.
A Pearce ball inside to Ponga saw the fullback beat two Dragons to score under the sticks and extend their lead 22-0 after 29 minutes.
Next time Pearce linked with new halves partner Kurt Mann.
Mann stepped Jai Field to get one over his former side.
Ponga added the extras for a lead of 28-0.
Four minutes into the second half and Pearce delivered a brilliant long ball to Shaun Kenny-Dowall who scored in the corner.
Up 32-0, a breakaway run from Edrick Lee saw the winger race 30 metres down the edge before laying a grubber kick back in-field for Pearce who beat Lomax to the ball and scored the try.
The extras from Ponga saw the Knights push ahead 38-0.
Ponga makes magic in Mudgee
Mann was sent to the sin bin half-way through the second half as a result of the Knights giving away too many penalties on their line and the Dragons took advantage of the numbers.
Tariq Sims scored for the Dragons with 20 minutes left on the clock for their first points of the afternoon.
With the Knights still down Mann, Lomax then crossed on the edge to narrow the margin 38-12.
A Mitch Barnett offload for Connor Watson saw the Knights add to their points haul, pushing ahead 44-12 with seven minutes left on the clock.
In an incredible last attempt, Ponga saved a sure-thing try from Hunt, knocking the ball loose as he dived over the line.
In a fitting finish, the Skipper slotted a field goal from 35 metres out to bring the Knights to 45.
