The Newcastle Knights have put a troubled off-season behind them to record the first genuine upset of the 2010 NRL season, defeating a fast-finishing Canterbury side 20-16 at a wet ANZ Stadium on Saturday.
A well-publicised drug crisis that claimed the scalps of two high profile players, injuries to several key stars and the unwanted tag of wooden spoon favourites, were enough reasons to frighten off most punters from backing the Knights in this opening clash of the season.
But the Rick Stone-coached side was full of running from the start, putting their 64 percent first-half possession share to good use as they raced away to a shock 16-0 lead at the break.
The Bulldogs evened the ledger in the possession department in the second-half, but couldn't pass the gutsy Knights on the scoreboard with their four tries-to-one second-stanza falling just short of the mark.
The loss of retired goalkicking ace Hazem El Masri was immediately felt by the Dogs with hooker Michael Ennis missing all four of his sideline conversion attempts.
The Knights victory was soured somewhat by possible broken ribs suffered by two-try hero Junior Sau early in the second-stanza - an injury that forced the Kiwi Test star from the ground.
Newcastle received the ideal start when half-back Scott Dureau kicked for the left corner, Sau leaping above both Jamal Idris and Steve Turner to collect the ball and place it over the line, officially opening the Knights' 2010 account.
More joy for the visitors 15 minutes in when they went the blindside for Fijian Test winger Aku Uate to leave opposite Heka Nanai in his wake for the Knights' second try.
Centre Wes Naiqama - a late replacement for injured veteran Adam MacDougall - landed the sideline conversion to give the visitors a shock 10-0 lead.
The Knights were a great deal hungrier for the ball than their lacklustre opponents and this was again evident in the 26th minute when a mid-field Dureau bomb was collected by back-rower Cory Paterson above a lethargic Idris to set up Sau's second try of the match in the left corner.
Naiqama landed another stunning sideline conversion to extend his team's lead to 16 points.
The Bulldogs needed to be the first to score in the second half and they did courtesy of centre Josh Morris who successfully chased down a pin-point Ben Roberts' corner kick for a left corner try.
Ennis missed the sideline conversion, leaving the Bulldogs 12 points in arrears.
The Knights struck back almost immediately when an inside Brett Kimmorley pass was grounded by Luke Patten, allowing Knights lock Mark Taufua to scoop up the ball and out-pace a loping Idris for Newcastle's fourth try of the evening.
Former Storm winger Steve Turner grabbed his first try in Bulldogs colours in the 66th minute to keep this match ever-so-slightly alive for the 18,110 fans in attendance.
Turner and Morris both bagged doubles in the final 10 minutes to get the hosts within range, but despite some frantic final moments, including an Idris kick downfield which was brilliantly fielded by an under siege Newcastle full-back Shannon McDonnell, the Knights held on for a morale-boosting victory.
Newcastle Knights 20
Tries: Sau 2, Uate, Taufua
Conversions: Naiqama 2
Canterbury Bulldogs 16
Tries: Turner 2, Morris 2