The Roosters and Warriors kicked off Easter Sunday's NRL action at the SCG with the Tricolours coming out on top.
Then St George Illawarra found a dramatic win over the Knights to snap their winless run.
Check out all the news, scores and stats below.
St George Illawarra Dragons 21 def Newcastle Knights 16
Zac Lomax has helped St George Illawarra snap a four-game NRL losing streak, booting the Dragons to a controversial 21-16 win over Newcastle.
In a see-sawing battle at WIN Stadium, the Dragons took the lead on three separate occasions before Lomax nailed a 78th-minute field goal to put the hosts ahead for good.
A late try to Mat Feagai ended any hopes of a miracle Knights comeback.
After the match, Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien insisted negotiations with Kalyn Ponga remain on track, denying a report that a contract extension had been pulled from the table.
The star fullback had easily his best game of the season but it came in the shadow of claims he was set to depart the club, with the Daily Telegraph reporting an extension for the club's biggest name had been withdrawn.
Ponga has a contract with Newcastle for the next two years, but has an option to leave at the end of this season if he wishes.
The Knights are believed to be attempting to extend that deal well beyond the end of 2024, with Ponga due to make a call before round 12.
O'Brien laughed off the claims, pointing to confusion over the fact the club had also been linked to Cameron Munster.
"It has never been brought up to me once as the head coach (that the contract has been pulled)," O'Brien said.
"Absolutely news to me, as far as I know. Our CEO (Phil Gardner) isn't even in the country, he's in Hawaii.
"I think they're still going through their process, both sides. Kalyn's management and the Knights. Things are tracking along there.."
Ponga was also adamant he had the right to take his time on his decision.
"I know what I'm feeling, but that is between me and my management," Ponga said.
"I know you guys want to know what I am doing.
"I hope you guys respect that I want to make this decision on my terms and announce it on my terms. So that's what I will do."
Regardless, Ponga at least showed he was not distracted by the ongoing negotiations on Sunday.
Poor by his standards in the previous two weeks since coming back from a knee injury, the 24-year-old was clearly the Knights' best.
He set up their first try when he bounced and stepped his way through the line for Enari Tuala to score, and bagged one of his own after a Bradman Best bust.
"I think he showed tonight why he is worth the wait," O'Brien said.
"With the short turnarounds, four in a row (the knee) would have been bothering him absolutely.
"You are getting over a game and I don't want to push him too hard at training to be with the team and connect.
"But his performance today, I thought he was by far the best player on the field."
The win wasn't pretty but it was precisely what the Dragons needed after a horror start to the season that had the pressure on coach Anthony Griffin.
The Knights are now in the middle of their own four-game losing streak.
After both sides fumbled their way through the first half and the Dragons led 8-4, the Knights put themselves back in the game when Dane Gagai finished off a nice try on the right edge.
The Dragons then took the lead back when Ben Hunt wrapped around and broke down the left edge to kick for a chasing Jack Bird to score.
The Saints then scored again, this time through Feagai when they moved to the left.
But centre Bradman Best stood up to get the Knights back in it at 16-all.
The 20-year-old made the most of a David Klemmer offload to get around Lomax, breaking down field and putting Ponga over for his four-pointer.
Ultimately though, Lomax would have the last laugh when he sent a 25-metre field goal deep into the Southern Stand to end a nightmare four weeks for St George Illawarra.
AAP
Team stats
Sydney Roosters 22 def New Zealand Warriors 14
Sam Walker has followed in the footsteps of NRL premiership-winning five-eighth of 20 years ago Brad Fittler in helping the Sydney Roosters subdue the spirited Warriors 22-14 at the SCG on Sunday.
In a match honouring the 2002 NRL grand final between these two sides, Fittler actually presented Walker with his jersey at a celebratory function during the week.
And that exchange seemed fitting as the 19-year-old showed the same sort of bamboozling footwork that was Fittler's trademark.
Walker busted out of three tackles, sent deceptive grubbers or crisp passes left and right, kicked five goals and scored a try for a personal tally of 14 points.
When he planted the ball with his fingertips in the 60th minute after some nifty footwork, it gave the Roosters the momentum they needed to wrap up the match even though the Warriors scored later through winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
The loss snapped a three-match winning streak by the New Zealand team, who now head to Melbourne for the traditional Anzac Day match against the Storm.
It did take 52 minutes before the Roosters managed to grab the lead, largely off some staunch and smart defence from the Warriors.
The match was greatly anticipated since the Roosters overcame the Warriors 30-8 in the decider 20 years ago for the club's 12th premiership.
That Roosters team, along with coach Ricky Stuart, were special guests at the famous SCG on Sunday, while both teams wore replica jerseys from two decades ago.
But the party schedule didn't go to plan with the visitors grabbing an 8-0 lead after 15 minutes through an Edward Kosi try — the man who replaced suspended Marcelo Montoya.
They hung on for an 8-6 half-time lead despite a fine Daniel Tupou try, when fullback James Tedesco chimed into the left edge to provide the extra man.
The two sides began the game with three wins apiece after five rounds, so the expected arm wrestle was well and truly under way.
Warriors fullback Reece Walsh made a mistake in the kick-off after the break to give the Roosters a piggy-back penalty down the ground.
Further ill-discipline from the Warriors and a penalty right in front of the posts levelled things up at 8-all early in the second half.
The game seemed to fizzle a little as a spectacle.
But then a Luke Keary bomb was misfielded and Kevin Naiqama scored on opportunistic try in his third game for the Roosters.
Walker's four-pointer followed eight minutes later and it seemed to put out the last bit of fire in the Warriors.
The match also marked the first NRL game this year for another bright young Roosters teenager, 18-year-old winger Joseph Suaalii wasn't even born when the Roosters hoisted the NRL trophy in 2002.
AAP
