Cronulla's dominance of the Knights, which had stretched to eight straight games dating back five years in the NRL, is over.

So too is the hallmark of those largely embarrassing run of victories - the Sharks' complete physical supremacy.

It took a late 85 metre intercept try from ultimate hero and former Shark, Edrick Lee to seal the 14-8 win after the Knights had earlier given up a 8-2 lead following a highly contentious penalty try awarded to Sharks winger Sione Katoa by video referee Ashley Klein.

But it was up front where the Knights won the game.

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Kangaroo prop David Klemmer was a colossus in the middle in his first game for the club.

From the moment he took his first hit-up early in the contest and carried three Sharks on his back for 12 metres before off-loading to support Connor Watson, you knew the tide had turned.

For too long the whipping boys for the aggressive Sharks pack, the Knights suddenly had someone up front to lead. Klemmer's partner in the middle James Gavet wasn't far behind and ripped in with just as much vigour, as did Tim Glasby.

The rest of the Knights pack simply followed their lead.

Klemmer has played in some big games - Origins and Tests - but admitted he has never been more on edge leading into a game.

"Out of my whole career, that's probably the most nervous game I've ever been in," he said.

"I just felt really nervous."

It didn't show. He ran for 186 metres from 20 carries and made 25 tackles as he took the game to Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita and co.

Significantly, it wasn't chief playmakers Mitchell Pearce and Kalyn Ponga who stole the limelight for the win, a frequent scenario last season.

The biggest contributors were the new boys - Klemmer, Gavet, Tim Glasby and Lee out wide.

Defensively, the Knights also stood tall. The attack may have been a bit clunky but time will fix that. The heavyweights build their seasons on their defence and it is a long time since a Knights side has defended like that, conceding just the one try and a controversial one at that, in 80 minutes.

Apart from his side's distinct lack of ability to get over the try-line, Brown couldn't have scripted the first 40 minutes much better.

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Running into the teeth of a howling southernly, most of the 21,813 strong home crowd would have expected all of the action to be down the Knights end with the Sharks camped on their try-line.

Instead, it was Newcastle who dominated possession and the Sharks who were forced to defend for grim death.

On a different night, the home side may have posted two or three tries too but there were missed opportunities to wingers Lee and Shaun Kenny-Dowall.

It was 0-0 at halftime, which set up an enthralling final 40.