Cronulla have warmed up for 2023 by seeing off Newcastle in a 28-16 NRL pre-season trial win in Gosford.
The Sharks were without their starting spine but Craig Fitzgibbon's men still looked cohesive as they gear up for another strong season after finishing second on the ladder last year.
The win means Cronulla secured 14 points from a possible 15 in the NRL's new pre-season challenge as clubs chase a $100,000 prize for winning their two trial matches.
Things are not looking so good for Newcastle and their head coach Adam O'Brien, with the Knights struggling to find a spark and flattered by late tries to Phoenix Crossland and Luke Pietzner.
Newcastle made 19 errors across the 80 minutes.
Off-season recruits Jackson Hastings and Tyson Gamble started in the halves but were not able to stamp their mark.
Kalyn Ponga, who is expected to partner Hastings in round one, remains out with injury and watched on from the sidelines at Industree Group Stadium.
""For the first 15 and 20 minutes we handled it really well," Hastings said.
"We had some good performances and had nine or 10 blokes on the sideline, who'll come back in next week.
"We had a lot of young kids who played tonight in their first first-grade environment."
Cronulla looked strong when their defence was tested, and the only time they let up in the first half was when Gamble crossed for a seventh-minute try.
The Sharks had opened the scoring through winger Thomas Rodwell and continued to make the Knights suffer with young halfback Niwhai Puru pulling the strings.
The unheralded Puru, who signed to the Sharks from Penrith over the off-season, looked assured alongside Wade Graham and set up Mawene Hiroti for his side's second.
Big Sharks prop Tom Hazelton crashed over just before halftime after a solid effort through the middle where he ground out 123 running metres.
Hazelton only played one game last season but looks set to take on a much bigger role following the retirement of Aiden Tolman and Andrew Fifita.
"We're getting through our work and blowing out the cobwebs," Fitzgibbon said.
"We feel like we've placed those legends with those up-and-comers, but for a first hit-out that was decent.
"Puru did really well. He took the game on and he was impressive, that's a big ask for a kid."
Daniel Atkinson, who only signed for the Sharks this week, got a try after halftime when he grubbered behind the Knights line and beat Newcastle fullback Bailey Hodgson to the ball.
Crossland and Pietzner crossed for the Knights in the last 10 minutes to gloss over a disappointing display before Sharks prop Josh Finau crashed over on the last play of the game.
