Kalyn Ponga's move to the halves has got off to a shaky start with the Knights skipper having a mixed outing in Newcastle's 36-14 trial loss to Parramatta at Gosford on Friday.
A fullback for most of his career, Ponga returned to five-eighth against the Eels for the first time since an ill-fated three-match run in the position in the opening rounds of the 2019 season.
It was also the 24-year-old's first appearance since last July, when a head knock ended his 2022 campaign after 19 rounds.
Ponga relatively quiet in the opening 40 minutes, making just six runs for 40 metres and placing two short kicks. He made eight tackles and missed three.
He set-up Bradman Best to score Newcastle's second try in the 28th minute with a run and pass out of dummy-half following a strong run from winger Greg Marzhew.
But the Queensland Origin star was left for dead 10 minutes later when Eels halfback Mitchell Moses put on a show and go 40 metres out from the try-line to break free before passing to halves partner Dylan Brown who finished off the play to hand the Eels a 22-10 lead.
Ponga didn't return after half-time and Newcastle were patchy at best in the second 40 minutes.
They were badly caught out in defence in the 51st minute with Eels forward Jack Murchie hit a gap on the left edge and cruised through for a try.
Eels winger Sean Russell had his second eight minutes later when he crossed in the corner.
New Knights winger Greg Marzhew bagged his first try in Knights colours with 10 minutes left to play to reduce the deficit to 32-14 but it was to little avail.
The Eels put a final nail in the coffin in the 78th minute through winger Isaac Lumelume's try.
Having conceded seven tries in the game, Newcastle will have plenty to work on over the next fortnight, including some of their combinations with new players.
Fullback Lachlan Miller didn't look completely comfortable in his first start for the club but showed glimpses of why he has been tipped as a potential excitement machine.
The positives for Newcastle out of the game were Dom Young picking up where he left off and Jackson Hastings' kicking-game.
Young scored the opening try, finishing off a sweep and an overlap on the right flank after just four minutes.
The Eels scored three tries in the space of 15 minutes before the Knights responded through Best, but Hastings' kicks in general play look to be a strength Newcastle must use to their advantage as much as possible this season.
The halfback almost set Young up for a screamer of a try as the half-time siren sounded, kicking from on his own 20-metre line for the far corner where the part-Jamaican flyer sprinted to collect the ball only to lose control as he placed it down.
Newcastle now have a weekend off before their season-opener against the Warriors in New Zealand on Friday, March 3.
