It's all about respect now for Newcastle, who know their four wins from 13 NRL games mean fans and opponents alike don't rate them.

The Knights sank to a fourth loss in their last five outings with a typically incoherent 32-24 defeat to the Warriors at EnergyAustralia on Sunday, with only 10,535 of their faithful there to witness it.

A season that began under a cloud when two players were charged with drug offences, and which brightened with a first-up win over Canterbury, has now become a battle to avoid finishing second-last ahead of points-less Melbourne.

Coach Rick Stone said the goal now was simple.

"Obviously to win some games and get some respect, that's something that I think we've lost a little bit of ground on, particularly in the last couple of weeks," he said.

"We've lost a little bit of respect from our peers and probably the general public in where we are.

"The only way you're going to get that back is with some results and results come on the back of hard work."

He said the Knights, who rely heavily on their gate-takings in their battle for survival, needed to win back the fans.

"The crowd would be a bit disillusioned with us at the moment," he said.

"We've come here pretty much every home game and been in the contest (but) couldn't quite finish it off.

"I can see the effort there and I can see the frustration at times but collectively I just don't think we've got enough going for us at the moment."

Five-eighth Jarrod Mullen agreed times were getting desperate as far as his side's 2010 campaign was concerned.

"When you're not winning games it's hard to gain respect but we're definitely not playing to our full potential, we know that and that's the most frustrating thing," he said.

"Usually on a Sunday afternoon you'd have 20-plus thousand here so that's a bit disappointing ... the onus is back on us to win games."

The injury-hit Warriors kept their noses in front for most of the afternoon before five-eighth James Maloney scored a 78th minute match-sealing try, as well as booting six from six, to lead his side to victory.

Warriors cult hero Manu Vatuvei bagged a double as his side scored five tries to four after the Knights had done well to go into the break at 12-12 despite a big southerly behind the visitors.

The Warriors continue to cling to the fringes of the top eight, despite injuries to stars Steve Price, Brent Tate, Brett Seymour and Jacob Lillyman.

"It certainly is handy to get the win today, we were pretty keen to back up what we thought was a pretty good performance (a 22-20 loss) against the Dragons last week," coach Ivan Cleary said.

"We've been pretty consistent over the last five weeks."

Cleary praised young halves Maloney and Isaac John.

"It was the first time they'd played together at all last week," he said.

"Those boys handled things pretty well and they'll be better for the run out there."

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