Warriors coach Stephen Kearney sensationally accused his players of not trying hard enough and of lacking effort and conviction after a big loss to Newcastle on Saturday afternoon, promising consequences as soon as Sunday morning.
Against a resurgent Newcastle, the New Zealand side was never really in the contest, the Knights winning consecutive games for the first time since 2015. Kearney's post-game assessment of his players' commitment was surely the most brutal of any NRL coach in just as long.
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Rare two-in-a-row for the Knights
Brock Lamb starred for Newcastle, with fan favourite Nathan Ross failing to finish the game with a suspected fractured back in Round 22 against the New Zealand Warriors.
"I thought it wasn't a pretty first half and it didn't get much prettier in the second half," Kearney said. "There were some guys out there trying very hard and there were some guys out there that weren't.
"There were some individuals whose effort was questionable and you can't have that. We were our own worst enemies. I don't think we played with enough conviction.
"Sometimes, when they've had some habits that are not real good ones, it's tough. Â The idea is that we get some players in there who know that. If I thought wholesale changes would change things out there, I'd have made those changes."
A nasty injury to Knights fullback Nathan Ross overshadowed Newcastle's performance in their second win on the trot. Ross fielded a kick in the 49th minute and, as he bent over to gather up the ball, was hit from behind by Warriors centre Blake Ayshford, whose knee appeared to strike Ross right in the middle of his back and Newcastle's No.1 immediately screamed in pain.
After a lengthy delay for treatment, he was helped off the field. Once he crossed the sideline, he lay down and was eventually taken from the playing arena on a medicab. The Knights later confirmed he had been taken to hospital for assessment.
Ross's injury dampened the celebrations after Newcastle's second successive victory, which followed last week's boilover against St George Illawarra.
It was the first time the Knights have won back-to-back games in almost two years, since rounds 23and 24 of 2015, when they beat Wests Tigers, Â then Melbourne.
The win lifted Newcastle to within two points of second-last Wests Tigers, with four games to play.
Newcastle overcame a dreadful start, when winger Ken Sio dropped the kick-off, to lead 16-4 at half-time.
Lock Mitch Barnett, who had not scored a try in his previous 17 games this season, crashed over twice in the first 10 minutes. Both tries were converted by halfback Trent Hodkinson, who also added penalty goals in the 35th and 38th minutes.
The Warriors' lone points before half-time came from a try in the right corner by winger Ken Fusitu'a.
Newcastle appeared to have the game under control when back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon scored his fourth try of the season, in the 59th minute, but the Warriors reduced the deficit to 20-10 when replacement Nathaniel Roache scored six minutes later and hooker Issac Luke converted.
The Knights iced the result in the 72nd minute when co-captain Sione Mata'utia broke clear, passed inside to Josh King and Brock Lamb scored.
It capped a man-of-the-match performance from Lamb, who also set up Barnett's opening try and Fitzgibbon's four-pointer.