A week ago Nathan Brown warned Warriors wunderkind Reece Walsh might not be ready to play State of Origin and Saturday's 10-6 NRL loss to Newcastle proved his point.
In a dour NRL game at McDonald Jones Stadium, the Queensland hopeful raised more questions than he answered with a mixed performance that reflected his boundless talent and limited experience.
In just his seventh NRL game the 18-year-old was auditioning for a place in Paul Green's Maroons side for Origin II next Sunday and could not be accused of not trying to land the job.
In the first half, a 68m run off a brave catch showed off his pace but he was rounded up by Jayden Brailey inches before the line.
The young fullback then limped to the wing seemingly carrying a leg injury, but then recovered to kick his first NRL conversion from the sideline and resume his role at the back.
But what started out as a solid game gradually got more uncomfortable for the teenager in the second half as he finished with four errors, two tackle-breaks and 171 running metres.
With the wind at their back in the second half the Knights harassed Walsh under the high ball with floating bombs, one of which he fumbled to cough up possession.
He later knocked on while attempting to offload and missed a tough shot at a field goal to put enough doubt in the minds of Maroons selectors who wonder if he's too young and inexperienced to blood in a must-win game.
Conditions were horrendous in Saturday's contest but the Knights handled them better with a Brodie Jones try in the final four minutes deciding the result.
Newcastle trailed 6-4 at halftime despite the howling wind and sideways rain in their face, and being down to 12 men for the final seven minutes of the half.
Try-scorer Lachlan Fitzgibbon was controversially sin-binned for a high shot on Kodi Nikorima as the Warriors half fell to the turf.
Fitzgibbon's swinging arm caught Nikorima around the head and he was promptly binned with referee Chris Butler ruling he had time to pull out of the hit.
But despite their advantages, the Warriors had just one try to show for the first half with Euan Aitken scooping up a loose ball and racing 80 metres to score.
Even with one extra man the Warriors didn't ask enough questions of the Knights' defence and the home side held on to set up an ugly but necessary win.
They will have an anxious wait on the NRL's charge sheet, however, with Fitzgibbon, David Klemmer and Jacob Saifiti all put on report.
The Warriors will have similar concerns for Ben Murdoch Masila who was sin-binned in the 79th minute for a dangerous tackle on Hymel Hunt.
