Cronulla are threatening a changing of the guard after continuing their unbeaten start to the NRLW season with a 14-12 defeat of back-to-back premiers Newcastle.
But a scary head knock to Talei Holmes threatened to overshadow the victory, the Sharks second-rower stretchered from the field at Shark Park in the final minutes on Sunday.
Tony Herman's Sharks are the only side to remain undefeated through four NRLW rounds, having already knocked off pre-season fancies Canberra, resurgent Parramatta and now the past two seasons' benchmark side.
The Knights are trending in the opposite direction following their first back-to-back defeats since 2022.
The Knights now have a 2-2 record under new coach Ben Jeffries and are set to contend without superstar halfback Jesse Southwell for next week's clash against Parramatta.
Southwell sent Laishon Albert-Jones over to level the scores with one of her two try assists, before concussing herself attempting to tackle Quincy Dodd later in the second half.
Initially motionless on the ground, the 19-year-old was moved to the recovery position after the contact but eventually regathered her footing to leave the field as the Knights trailed by two points.
Southwell returned a category-one head injury assessment and watched on as her teammates were unable to cut back the two-point lead the Sharks took through a Tayla Preston penalty goal.
With four minutes remaining, Holmes fell awkwardly on her neck as she tried to tackle Knights centre Shanice Parker alongside Sharks teammate Ellie Johnston.
Play stopped for about six minutes as staff from both teams attended the 24-year-old, who left on a stretcher to applause from the crowd.
Earlier, Preston curled a grubber kick through the line to put Dodd over for the Sharks' first try, the hooker snatching the ball from the grasp of superstar Knights fullback Tamika Upton.
Sharks prop Tegan Dymock crashed over only minutes after the break before Albert-Jones tied the scores at 12-12.
Elsewhere, a six-minute blitz from the Sydney Roosters either side of halftime helped sink St George Illawarra 28-8 in Wollongong.
A try from Amber Hall helped the Roosters to a 28-8 win over the Dragons. (Jeremy Ng/AAP PHOTOS)
After the Dragons scored first to make it 4-0 and the Roosters responded through Amber Hall, the game hung in the balance until the 32nd minute.
But when Isabelle Kelly went over on the left edge a few minutes before halftime, the Tri-Colours quickly assumed control of the match.
In the next set Tarryn Aiken put Sam Bremner in a hole, before the veteran Roosters fullback turned the ball back inside for Jayme Fressard to finish the job.
And when the Roosters regained possession after the Dragons let a bomb bounce and Hall crashed over shortly after, the game was over.
Making matters worse for the Dragons will be the flow-on effects for next week.
Bobbi Law did well to send Kimberly Hunt over for the first try of the match, but suffered a head knock in the first half and did not return.