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The Roosters' NRL premiership defence began on a losing note with Wayne Bennett winning on debut with the Rabbitohs, while the Knights edged their way past the Sharks.
Rabbitohs begin Bennett era with victory over Roosters
Wayne Bennett made a winning start to his South Sydney coaching career with a hard-fought 26-16 victory over reigning premiers the Roosters at the SCG.
Bennett, who was sacked by the Broncos in the off-season prior to immediately linking up with the Rabbitohs, watched on as his new charges scored five tries to three in an explosive showdown played in wet and slippery conditions.
Rabbitohs half-back Adam Reynolds crashed Cooper Cronk's party, as his Roosters counterpart joined Terry Lamb on 350 first grade appearances to now sit behind only Cameron Smith (385) and Darren Lockyer (355) on the all-time list.
Cronk's night ended in disappointment, with Reynolds stealing the show with a commanding performance for the Rabbitohs.
Reynolds had a hand or boot in four of the Rabbitohs' tries, with two assists incredibly coming after his probing kicks ricocheted off the uprights and gleefully into the arms of teammates.
Lock Cameron Murray was the first beneficiary in the 12th minute and then five-eighth Cody Walker cashed in midway through the second half to give the Rabbitohs a decisive eight-point buffer.
Reynolds also threw the last pass for vital tries to winger Campbell Graham and a lovely cut out for the match-sealing effort from full-back Alex Johnston.
While Reynolds also slotted three conversions, Cronk had to settle for a first-half try assist for Mitchell Aubusson and a shove in the chest from Walker as tensions boiled over following Johnston's late strike.
Walker appeared to take exception to a few words and some finger pointing from Cronk, the clash sparking an old-fashioned melee.
But it was Walker, Reynolds and the Rabbits who had the last laugh.
Knights win at home against Sharks
The new-look Knights kicked off their 2019 campaign with a controversy filled 14-8 win over Cronulla in Newcastle.
Playing in his first match for the Knights after moving from the Sharks in the off-season, Edrick Lee figured in almost all of his side's key moments, including a match-winning try late in the contest.
It took 69 minutes for the match to come to life when Tim Glasby surged through a gaping hole off a Mitchell Pearce short-ball to break a scoreboard deadlock and give the home side an 8-2 advantage.
But just when the 21,813-strong crowd thought their side had the match in the bag, Sharks winger Sione Katoa was sensationally awarded a penalty try after Lee was ruled to have taken him out.
Josh Dugan grounded the ball off a Shaun Johnson grubber but could not ground it cleanly.
The bunker then ruled that Katoa, who was ahead of Dugan in the chase, would have got to the ball if it were not for Lee's interference to lock the scores up with eight minutes remaining.
But Lee turned the match on its head once again three minutes later when he latched on to a Chad Townsend long pass and ran 85 metres to ice the win with a brilliant intercept try.
Lee was immense all match, pulling off three try-saving tackles in the first-half to help deliver a victory that will give the Knights hope of returning to the top eight after five years in the wilderness and three wooden spoons in that period.
All of the Knights' news faces stood out with David Klemmer running for 186 metres from 20 carries and making 25 tackles in a match-changing performance.
But Kalyn Ponga had a mediocre night in his first display in the number six jumper, often looking devoid of ideas and taking several poor kicking options.
After the scores were tied 2-2 early in the second-half, the Sharks were ill-disciplined in what was new coach John Morris's first match in charge.
Their five errors in the second 40 were telling in the wash up after they threw away several opportunities.
Meanwhile, Knights prop Daniel Saifiti was taken for scans after suffering a suspected MCL injury.
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Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, nsw, cronulla-2230, newcastle-2300, sydney-2000, australia
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