In this week's pathways report, we take a look at the nib Newcastle Knights pathways teams in the Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership, SG Ball Cup, Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup and Harold Matthews Cup competitions.
Our three junior reps and Women's Premiership side played out a huge day of pathways football last Saturday at St Johns Oval, Charlestown taking on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
A few Knights teams achieved solid victories including a big win for our Women's Premiership side to kickstart their campaign.
See how each team fared:
NSW Women's Premiership - Knights 26-4 Bulldogs
Our NSW Women's Premiership side achieved their first win of the season with a convincing 22-point win over the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
Bolstered by a host of 2022 NRLW premiership winners returning including Jesse Southwell, Caitlan Johnston, Olivia Higgins and Yasmin Clydsdale, the side ran in five tries to one.
After her debut for the Maori All Stars, Jasmine Strange made her first start in Knights colours and earned the side's opening try on the 7th minute mark.
NSW Women's Premiership: Round 3 Highlights
A long ball from Southwell found an unmarked Strange for the opener.
The Knights would strike again eight minutes later on the same edge with Papua New Guinea international Anika Butler planting the ball down after a quick play down the right.
Just before the break, returning from her first game after playing for the Jillaroos at the World Cup, Clydsdale proved too strong close to the line to barge over for the team's third.
The Bulldogs had the first try after half-time to reduce the margin to four.
Battling for the next try, the match turned into a grind in hot conditions with both teams completing high.
Strange would post the match sealer crossing for her second on the 56th minute mark before Tiana Davison put the icing on the cake, putting the ball down under the posts with seven minutes remaining to secure the win.
The result is the first victory of the competition for the Knights after two losses to start the campaign.
The side will play the Rabbitohs this Saturday afternoon at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground.
SG Ball Cup - Knights 32-14 Bulldogs
The SG Ball Cup side returned to the winner's circle with a 18-point win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.
The Bulldogs were first to score in the 7th minute before the Knights wrestled back momentum.
Fletcher Sharpe continued his impressive run of form and earned the Knights first 14 minutes into the game before Captain Myles Martin picked up a loose ball and slammed the ball down for the Knights second.
The Knights were running hot with Sharpe grabbing his double eight minutes later while Elijah Salesa Ieaumoana posted the Knights fourth after clever work from five-eighth Travis May set up the second-rower.
Newcastle would take a 22-4 lead into half-time.
SG Ball: Round 3 Highlights
The Dogs hit back after the resumption of play with two quickfire tries four minutes apart to bring the margin to within eight.
However, the Knights would respond four minutes later with May grabbing a four-pointer after a team move down the left edge.
Kyle McCarthy assured the result with 10 minutes remaining after Sharpe found the unmarked winger down the left.
After three rounds of the competition, the Knights have two wins and sit in fifth spot on the ladder.
The team will play the Rabbitohs next round at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground this Saturday.
Tarsha Gale Cup - Knights 20-22 Bullodgs
Our Tarsha Gale Cup side has suffered a nail-biting two-point loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday.
After two opening wins to start the season, the Knights began strong with Lacey Mitchell racing 70 metres up the field before finding Charlotte Barwick in support two minutes into the game.
Evie Jones continued her strong form stepping off a scrum win to score the Knights second after seven minutes.
The Bulldogs struck next through Ebony Raftstrand-Smith before Barwick had a double on the 28th minute mark after quick hands down the left-edge.
Tarsha Gale Cup: Round 3 Highlights
With three tries in the opening half, the Knights took a 14-4 lead into the break.
The Dogs would bite back with three quick tries of their own to start the second half to move to a four-point lead.
Needing to be next to score, Jones again stepped up with a brilliant individual try from dummy-half to put the Knights back in front.
The Dogs would take back the lead with nine minutes to play with Ambryn Murphy-Haua grabbing her second.
The Knights would throw waves of attack at the Dogs in the final stages while the away team were reduced to 12 players after a late sin-bin.
However, Newcastle couldn't crack a resolute Bulldogs defence as the away team held on to the two points.
With two wins to start the season, the Tarsha Gale Cup team sit in fourth spot.
Harold Matthews Cup - Knights 20-12 Bulldogs
The Harold Matthews Cup side also returned to winning ways with an eight-point win over the Dogs.
The Bulldogs took the lead five minutes into the contest through Ratu Rinakama.
Knights fullback Connor Votano rolled a perfectly weighted grubber into the in-goal for Will Cannavo to score the red and blue's first 19 minutes into the game.
Rinakama posted a second for the Dogs three minutes from half-time as the away team took a 12-4 lead into the break.
The Knights produced an impressive second half effort to start the day at St Johns Oval keeping the Dogs to nil in the second 30 minutes.
Harold Matthews: Round 3 Highlights
In the opening minute of the second half, Kyran Blair dived over in the corner before Votano would cross the stripe.
Lochie Gray broke into the back field and put in a high kick with the ball bouncing to the Knights fullback as the team re-claimed the lead.
Jack Hilliar barged over for the Knights fourth to secure a strong win for the Harold Matthews team.
The team sit in sixth with two wins from the opening three rounds.
They will play the Rabbitohs next round at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground.
