Given they were humiliated 66-0 on home turf in the corresponding fixture last year, Canterbury were always going to be up for Sunday's clash with the Knights.
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But just nine months after that round-18 defeat, and a 42-6 loss they also incurred against the Knights last year, the Bulldogs avenged the pair of losses in style yesterday with a 36-12 victory.
How the tide has turned.
Newcastle might have been out of sorts at Accor Stadium, but the Bulldogs fired from the outset.
They scored four minutes in, forced three goal-line drop outs in the first half, kicked a key 40-20 and most importantly, made the most of their opportunities when Newcastle gifted them ball.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo denied last year's combined 108-6 scoreline was a motivating factor in the lead-up to the game, but his side's display was telling.
Canterbury always looked likely, while the Knights at times looked lost.
At half-time, Fox Sports analyst Cooper Cronk said Newcastle were "lacking intensity" and "commitment", and you could hardly dispute the four-time premiership winner's assessment.
The Bulldogs were all over the Knights for much of the opening 40 minutes, scoring three tries to one to lead 18-6 at the break, and the party only rolled on after half-time.
Errors, communication mix-ups and poor defence cost the Knights in a performance they'll be desperate to put behind them.
To make matters worse, they lost skipper Kalyn Ponga in the second half to a foot injury. That forced Tyson Gamble, who was a late tactical switch for Jack Cogger at five-eighth, to the unfamiliar position of fullback. Gamble did his best but the Bulldogs crossed for a further three tries in the second stanza.
"That was a dark day for us, it wasn't mentioned in the lead up because we've got 12 guys who didn't play on that day," Ciraldo said of last year's 66-0 loss.
"In saying that, when Newcastle come down last year, we got pumped in both grades.
"It was a tough time. Today, to turn that around in both grades, our reserve grade played really well ... I think we've come a long way."
It was actually Canterbury who were dealt an early blow when prop Chris Patolo was ruled out in the third minute, but it did little to slow them down.
They went close to scoring in one of their first sets when Bradman Best lost possession catching a kick, only to be saved by Ponga who grounded the ball.
A failed short dropout from Ponga then gave the Bulldogs prime field position and Sam Hughes soon barged over. It put the home side up 6-0 after just six minutes.
Best made a try-saving tackle eight minutes later to deny Jaeman Salmon. The back-rower chased down a kick but Best's hit dislodged the ball enough for the Bunker to rule a knock-on.
Matt Burton's 40-20 midway through the half made the Bulldogs look like they could do no wrong, while the Knights appeared to be having that type of day when Ponga dropped a routine pass on the fifth-tackle, seemingly unaware he was going to get the ball.
After the Bulldogs forced a third goal-line drop out, winger Jacob Kiraz crossed in the 21st minute out wide.
Back-rower Dylan Lucas hit back for the Knights when he sliced through a gap to score in the 30th minute, but the good work was undone in the ensuing set when winger Greg Marzhew knocked on.
The mistake proved costly as centre Bronson Xerri crossed a few plays later for his first try since 2019 following his four-year drug ban.
Eight minutes after the break, a clearly injury-hindered Ponga was badly caught out when Bulldogs utility Bailey Hayward chased down a kick to score.
Fan-favourites Josh Addo-Carr and Stephen Crichton scored in the 58th and 71st minutes, respectively, much to the delight of long-suffering Bulldogs supporters.
With three minutes remaining, Knights prop Jack Hetherington was sent to the sin bin after a blow-up with Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney, who was also binned.
Best scored a consolation try in the final minute.