Anthony Milford has provided the finishing touches as Newcastle recovered from a 12-point deficit to beat the Warriors 24-16 in a Redcliffe slog.
In just his second game at his new NRL club, former Bronco Milford set up the match-sealing try for the Knights on Saturday, their comeback win making it four-straight losses for the Warriors and leaving both sides with 4-8 records.
Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga laid on two tries as he sharpened up for Queensland's State of Origin tilt, although teammate Daniel Saifiti's unlikely push to retain his Blues jersey never got going.
The under-pressure prop was hobbled by a suspected medial ligament injury in his right knee that kept him to just one run for seven metres in the first half.
The Warriors looked unperturbed by another week of disruptions stemming from Matt Lodge's curious exit, crossing twice in the first eight minutes thanks to some soft Knights defence on both edges.
First Adam Pompey stepped through some flimsy tackles before Reece Walsh's darting run allowed Viliami Vailea to slice through for a 10-0 lead.
A penalty made it 12-0 before Newcastle found some rhythm, helped when Walsh's restart hit the dead-ball line on the full.
First, recalled halfback Jake Clifford's grubber on the right edge, after the Knights had probed the left, was perfectly weighted for Tyson Frizell to jump on.
Then some starch defence from halves partner Milford created a Jack Murchie knock-on and another Knights chance, Ponga with quick hands to set up Edrick Lee and level the scores at the break.
Shaun Johnson injected himself, chipping across field for an unmarked Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
But they surrendered their six-point lead immediately, Chanel Harris-Tavita knocking on from the restart and Ponga again setting up centre Enari Tuala.
Marcelo Montoya was then sin-binned for a high shot on a prone Dominic Young while Warriors teammates Murchie and Jazz Tevaga were both sent for HIAs after some friendly fire in a messy final 20 minutes.
Eventually Newcastle extended a two-point lead, Milford's delicate grubber well-placed for Tuala to add a second and create an eight-point buffer with nine minutes to play.
