Knights put sorry Tigers to sword - The Australian

Newcastle's James McManus goes over to score in the corner against Wests Tigers. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Australian

AN impressive Newcastle opened its season in style by crushing Wests Tigers 42-10 at Ausgrid Stadium.

A hat-trick of tries from NSW winger Akuila Uate and two apiece from Dane Gagai and James McManus sealed the win to make it a first game to forget for new Tigers coach Mick Potter.

The visitors actually started brightly and opened the scoring after five minutes when Adam Blair powered over from close range.

But it proved to be their only high point in an abject display as the Knights ripped them apart in a sizzling 50-minute period during which they scored seven tries.

A minute's silence was impeccably observed by the 21,935 crowd for Tiger Mosese Fotuaika, who passed away recently, and it appeared to inspire Potter's side early in the game.

However, the Knights took control to effectively seal the victory before half-time.

Ex-NSW winger McManus dived over in the 10th minute after hauling in a fine cut-out pass from Boyd and the Queensland star looked to have increased the advantage only to spill the ball as he crossed the line.

But that proved to be a minor aberration when Uate, fresh from signing a new four-year deal, started and finished the move for the second four-pointer.

The Blues star caught the ball on his own 10-metre line, shrugged off three feeble tackles as he raced 50 metres and was then on hand to pick out Gagai's pass to go over in the right corner.

Gagai then scored two quickfire tries with skipper Kurt Gidley kicking four goals to open up a 24-6 lead at the break.

The second stanza followed a similar pattern with the Knights dominating as the Tigers fell apart, giving up two more Uate tries within nine minutes of the restart.

McManus added his second just before the hour-mark when he outjumped the diminutive Matt Utai and grabbed Jarrod Mullen's kick with Gidley's conversion bringing up the 40-point mark.

Tim Moltzen stretched to score on the siren to give the Tigers a late consolation.

The Knights' promising start was tempered by an wrist injury to Mullen, who went off midway in the second period.

AAP