KNIGHTS coach Adam O'Brien is taking nothing for granted after his team extended their winning streak to seven games on Sunday with a 29-10 triumph against South Sydney at a pulsating McDonald Jones Stadium.
With two games remaining, against Cronulla (home) and St George Illawarra (away), the Knights are seventh on the competition ladder and one win would seal entry into the play-offs, while two wins might well clinch a top-six berth, which would ensure Newcastle's first home final since 2006.
But O'Brien is looking no further ahead than Sunday's clash with the Sharks, mindful of the fact that Newcastle could yet miss out on the eight if they were to lose both remaining regular-season fixtures.
"We're not there in the finals yet," O'Brien said.
"So I don't want to jump a step. I'd love to have that crowd out here in a home semi-final. First and foremost, I'd love to have them out here next week, against the Sharks.
"And if we can do the job, then we can start to think about that.
"But all year we've just stuck to the process and haven't been results driven.
"I don't want to leapfrog the next step."
O'Brien was nonetheless delighted by a comprehensive victory against a quality opponent in front of a capacity crowd of 29,018.
Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga described the turnout as "awesome" and had no doubt the parochial atmosphere brought out the best in his teammates.
"To run out and look at those top rows and see it full, I'll probably cherish that moment, to be honest," Ponga said.
"It was awesome to have that crowd behind us. We know how much support we get, and to put in a performance like that - that they're proud of - that's the main thing, I reckon. But we want that next week as well."
While disappointed with his own team's display, Souths coach Jason Demetriou gave the Knights a rap.
"Credit to Newcastle," he said. "I don't want to come in here and talk about things we did wrong. They put pressure on us with their defence. They made our execution hard because they were defending well.
"We've got to be more patient than that and stay in the grind."
After winning only five of their first 15 games this season, the Knights have strung together victories against Canterbury (66-0), Wests Tigers (34-18), Melbourne (26-18), Canberra (28-6), the Dolphins (30-28), Canterbury (42-6) and now Souths.
It is the first time Newcastle have won seven successive games since the 2001 season, which was their last premiership-winning campaign.
Winger Greg Marzhew scored a first-half hat-trick for the Knights, taking his tally for the season to 18, three short of the club record, and two behind his fellow flanker Dominic Young, who has now been tryless in his past three games.
Ponga missed all three first-half conversions from the sideline, but the Knights nonetheless led 12-0 at the break.
Newcastle started the second half poorly, with a penalty in defence and then a dropped ball, and Souths hooker Damien Cook made them pay with a try from a scrum win in the 44th minute.
The home team tightened their grip on the two competition points in the 58th minute when hooker Phoenix Crossland stab-kicked from dummy-half and prop Daniel Saifiti won the race to force it in-goal.
The Knights rammed home their advantage three minutes later when halfback Adam Clune pounced on a fumble after a Tyson Gamble grubber kick.
Souths narrowed the gap with a try from prop Shaquai Mitchell, only for Knights centre Bradman Best to race 40 metres to score after a Latrell Mitchell dropped ball in the 69th minute.
There was concern for Newcastle back-rower Fitzgibbon, who was replaced midway through the second half after suffering a shoulder injury.
Latrell Mitchell could find himself in hot water with the judiciary after being sent to the sin-bin late in the game for apparently elbowing Knights back-rower Tyson Frizell.
