NEWCASTLE coach Brian Smith couldn't remember any other player performing the role Kurt Gidley did for the Knights last night - but chances are that fans are going to see more of it in the future.

In a stunning individual performance, Gidley played dummy-half in attack and fullback in defence, while also assuming the first receiver role on occasions. He was also goalkicker and had the added responsibility of captain - a role he is set to take on next season when Danny Buderus leaves for England.

For all intents and purposes, the 26-year-old utility might as well have had a blank on his back rather than a number as he sparked an undermanned Newcastle side to overcome a lack of possession caused largely by a lopsided penalty count and record a win Smith described as the "gutsiest" in his two seasons at the club.

"I also think it's the strongest performance by our team as a team," he added. "We all stuck to our match plan much better tonight than we ever have before."

For match plan read getting Gidley - the prototype of the modern player - to do whatever he thought necessary and everyone else just to help him.

In attack, the Knights effectively didn't have a fullback, while in defence they had an extra forward after Chris Houston received a late call up to the starting side for winger Cooper Vuna.

"I don't know that anyone has ever done it; played dummy-half and fullback in the same game," Smith said. "I spoke to Kurt about what the energy demands were there and … I just don't know how anyone can do it. I think Billy Slater does it in patches for Melbourne but to do it in the whole game is just a tremendous effort."

After playing a more traditional hooker's role in the loss to St George Illawarra, Gidley said he preferred to run all the way from the ruck to fullback following a turnover than to expend energy defending in the line. Given the amount of tackling the Knights had to do last night, it was a wise tactic.

For most of the first half, the visitors were starved of the ball thanks largely to an 8-1 penalty count against them.

But while referee Gavin Badger was clearly frustrated with the Newcastle players, particularly Gidley and Houston, Smith was pleased with their efforts after completing 12 of their mere 14 sets of possession before the interval. In comparison, Penrith had 21 sets and completed 17 of them.

"You don't often win when that happens," said Smith, who was determined to avoid criticising Badger. "If you're running on bald tyres by the time you get to half-time, eventually teams tend to cave in."

That the Knights were still even in the game at half-time was remarkable, let alone the fact they were level on the scoreboard at 12-12.

After kicking on the fourth tackle of the opening set of the match, they didn't see the ball again until the ninth minute, and by then they trailed 8-0 following a converted Trent Waterhouse try and a penalty goal by teenage fullback Lachlan Coote.

Prop Matt White, a late inclusion in the Newcastle side following the loss of Steve Simpson to a hip flexor injury, already had a tackle count in the double figures and some of his teammates weren't far behind.

Yet when the Knights finally got the ball again they managed to score after Gidley raced out of dummy-half and dummied to Zeb Taia before speeding past Coote for an 11th-minute try.

A rare repeat set - Newcastle's only one of the first half - after Penrith centre Maurice Blair was penalised for flopping on Gidley after a kick return, led to another try when Chris Bailey dived over in the 25th minute.

With the scores again level at 18-18, Gidley helped to put his side in front for the final time 15 minutes from full-time when he ran the ball at first receiver and beat Nathan Smith before putting prop Daniel Tolar over.

"He played great," Penrith coach Matthew Elliott said. "Really, when you looked at their team, it was down to him. He didn't really have a lot of friends out there to help him out. Jarrod Mullen is a very good player but Gidley was fantastic."