Mitchell Pearce's golden-point field goal to sink Manly ensured Newcastle were at least one step ahead of their last doomed new beginning in the Hunter.
Six years ago, as Wayne Bennett took charge of the club under the cashed-up Nathan Tinkler, more than 29,000 people packed into McDonald Jones Stadium to see the Knights push St George Illawarra to extra-time.
But when Jamie Soward booted home the winner for the Dragons, the feeling within Newcastle was that of an anti-climax and deflation.
Since then, the Knights have been to the proverbial rugby league hell and back.
NRL ownership after going broke, three consecutive wooden spoons and just six wins in the past two years.
But on Friday night against the old enemy, Pearce gave the 23,516 fans in attendance - the biggest crowd since before coach Nathan Brown's arrival in 2016 - a tangible reason to believe the tide had finally turned with the 19-18 win in he penultimate minute of extra time.
"Unbelievable," Pearce said.
"It was like a rep game out there tonight, nothing like I've ever experienced before at club level.
"It's a special feeling. Obviously it's only round one and we're a team that's building. But it's been a great buzz around pre-season."
Pearce's field goal was as much a win for himself as it was the Knights, who hadn't tasted success in golden point for 10 years.
Downtrodden and lashed in the media less than a year ago over 18 consecutive missed field goals, Pearce has now won three games on his own boot and nailed one other drop goal since last April.
He kicked well for the Knights on Friday night, and added structure to a team that had more recruits than it did settled players running out.
"We're all excited," Brown said.
"To have such a good crowd and for them to see us win a game like that.
"Last year we got into them situations and lost lots of games. You just feel happy for all the boys.
"We'd like to think we showed today where a fair bit better team than we were last year. But we've got to be mindful we've got to keep improving otherwise we'll get our share of losses."
There were promising signs elsewhere for the Knights' new faces too.
Teenage sensation Kalyn Ponga was as impressive as ever at the back. In just his 10th NRL game - and first at the Knights - he broke through a game-high eight tackles and scored the team's opener.
Slade Griffin was tough and powerful out of dummy-half, Connor Watson was fast when he moved there from five-eighth late and Herman Ese'ese got through 185 metres with four tackles busts in the front row.
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