Parramatta captain Kennedy Cherrington has been sent off in a 38-4 NRLW loss to Newcastle that prolongs the Eels' winless start to the season.
Cherrington became the second NRLW player in history to be dismissed after she and Madeline Jones up-ended Knights forward Laishon Albert-Jones in a spear tackle during the second half on Sunday.
The lock forward's send-off proved an invitation for Newcastle to blow the scoreline out with 25 minutes to play in the 2022 grand final rematch at CommBank Stadium.
Already trailing 18-4 at halftime the Eels immediately fell off the pace once reduced to 12 players.
Knights prop Tayla Predebon barged through the middle, where Cherrington defends, in the set after the spear tackle.
Cherrington's send-off came after the referee marched Brisbane winger Ashleigh Werner in the first weekend of the premiership for biting Jayme Fressard.
Werner received a two-match ban and the Eels can expect to lose their captain to suspension as well.
The likely ban would compound a tough start to the season for last year's runners-up, who sit in last place as the only side winless through three rounds.
Things will not become any easier with perennial heavyweights Brisbane awaiting next week.
The Knights' victory ensures they will finish the weekend in the top four.
Newcastle kept pace with the clock early and it was State of Origin representative Yasmin Clydesdale at the centre of the action.
The winger-turned-second-rower pounced on a grubber kick from Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche to open the scoring and then caught a short ball from fullback Tamika Upton to jet away down the left.
She passed inside to Upton, who scored the Knights' second of a seven try haul.
But the reigning premiers needed to wait until after Cherrington had been sent off to reprise their early dominance
Knights captain Hannah Southwell made a successful return from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that had ruled her out since the first game of last season and she finished with 19 tackles.
Meanwhile, Canberra upset the previously unbeaten Wests Tigers 28-22 despite a hat-trick to centre Leianne Tufuga.
The home side got off to a flyer, with Ashleigh Quinlan and Hollie-Mae Dodd crossing in the opening eight minutes.
But the Tigers hit back with Tufuga bagging her first and then Kezie Apps took advantage of a repeat set in the 21st minute with the teams level as 12-12 at halftime.
Wests Tigers lost star fullback and skipper Bo Vette-Welsh to a head knock late in the first half.
The Raiders set up the victory with three tries in the space of nine minutes in the second half.
Apps was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul in the 56th minute after she raced down-field to stop an intercept try by Shakiah Tungai, but was ruled to have held the Canberra winger down.
In her absence, Canberra crossed through Cheyelle Robins-Reti with the conversion pushing the lead out to 28-12.
Tufuga crossed twice to give her side a sniff but the Tigers couldn't find another try to level.