NRL: Knights riding high after dramatic win

James McManus of the Knights makes a break. Photo / Getty Images

Not since Andrew Johns was steering Newcastle around the park have the Knights begun an NRL campaign this well.

Sunday's dramatic 20-18 victory over Gold Coast at a rain-lashed Robina gave the Knights their third win from as many starts this season, something the club hasn't achieved since the 2006 season.

It's also the club's fifth win in a row, as they won the final two fixtures of the 2014 campaign.

That's something the Knights haven't achieved since 2005.

Captain Kurt Gidley believes the run of wins shows something is building at Newcastle.

"We've still got areas we can work on but the character and desire, we need to keep those, and the skill we need to work on," Gidley said.

"We've got most of the same guys here (from last year). We've got a couple of new fellas ... but we've got the same group of guys who were playing at the back end of last year, when we were playing well.

"Last year was a tough year but when all the distractions and things were aside and finished with we were playing our best footy.

"We're not playing our best footy at the moment but we're never giving up on anything and that's pretty important."

History suggests winning the club's first three matches of the season is the foundation of a solid season.

Since the NRL's inception in 1998, 32 teams have been 3-0 after round three with four going on to win the premiership, three finishing runners-up and 18 more making finals.

Only six teams since 98 have started a season 3-0 and not finished in the top eight.

After battling their way to that record with back-to-back wins on the road in Queensland against the Titans and North Queensland, Gidley said confidence is high going into next weekend's home clash with Penrith at Hunter Stadium.

"We knew the opportunity we had this week to go three from three and to go home next week into an important game, second home game of the year, our fans would just love it," Gidley said.

-AAP