The Bulldogs added to their unprecedented trio of one-point wins with a come-from-behind 16-12 win over a gallant and unlucky Newcastle Knights, putting them on top of the table on the eve of a representative break.

“With the rep season around the corner and the grind between weeks 10 to 20, you’re trying to accumulate as many points as you can in that early part [of the season],” said Ennis, who made 48 tackles.

“That’s the most pleasing thing at the moment. I think there’s still a lot of improvement to be made. I think the rep weekend off will do us good. It’s been a pretty big block.”

Hasler agreed, saying “they’re the sort of points you need towards the back end of the season”.

“It’s still early days. I’ve said all along the early stages of this competition is about getting wins like that and getting the points for them,” Hasler said.

The Bulldogs lead 10-4 at half time but fell behind 12-10 after a penalty goal added to tries to interchange second-rower Robbie Rochow and James McManus’s first half four-pointer. However, Aiden Tolman pounced on a loose ball following an in-goal challenge from a Trent Hodkinson kick to give the Bulldogs a lead they were forced to fight hard to keep.

“It wasn’t a great game of football from either side. I guess the great thing is we walk out of the stadium with the points,” Hasler said, before having a stab at the referees.

“I just thought - I know they’re trying to blood new referees - I just thought they didn’t make it a real good spectacle tonight, the referees. I thought they could have done more around it. Probably around the ruck - we got one penalty for the whole game, or maybe two. It’s just probably the interpretation around the ruck. Given Wayne’s [Bennett’s] dislike for wrestling I thought they did that pretty good today.”