St George Illawarra Dragons breathed fire and broke a match losing streak to surge back into the NRL top eight by thrashing Newcastle Knights, 46-24 on Sunday at Jubilee Oval, Kogarah.
The Dragons,who had experienced a frustrating seven consecutive losses, faced a Knights team which sacked their coach Rick Stone during this week.
At half-time the Knights led 20-14 after the Dragons raced to a 12-0 lead.
During the first half the Dragons started well with Josh Dugan and Mitch Rein scoring the opening tries.
But the Knights under interim coach and former Newcastle hooker, Danny Buderus, played some inspiring footy in attack,racing to a 20-12 lead.
But the Dragons forwards led by prop Leeson Ah Mau, second rower Tyson Frizell, lock Mike Cooper and halves Benji Marshall and Gareth Widdop and fullback Josh Dugan were enterprising, precise and powerful in the second half to run over the determined Knights.
The Dragons ran away with the second 40 minutes with the second half scoreline, 32-4.
The last time the Dragons won a game in the NRL this season was against Cronulla on Sunday May 31 at Kogarah, with that scoreline, 42-6.
Since then the Dragons have tumbled from fourth to tenth but the big win over the Knights has seen the Paul McGregor-coached team surge to seventh on the competition table on 22 points.
Widdop had an outstanding game landing nine goals from nine attempts and scoring a fine try.
Benji Marshall though will be prominent in judgement for the try of the NRL season when in the second half he handled three times in the one movement with a series of interchange passing before scoring himself which brought the crowd of 10,236 to their feet.
Dugan scored two tries and made many slashing runs in attack which thrilled the parochial crwod who have had little to cheer about in recent weeks.
Chants of St George, St George, and Dragons, Dragons echoed around the crowd and throughout the main grandstand.
The Dragons now play the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday, August 8, at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, at 3pm AEST.
Leader Man of the Match: Dragons five-eighth Gareth Widdop.