The Goannas, winners of last season's Newcastle premiership, overcame Presidents Cup champions Maitland 24-22 in a nail-biter at Maitland Sportsground in which the lead changed hands several times.

From Maitland's point of view, without taking anything away from Cessnock who were superb, it was a disappointing performance.

"We were a little but flat," club president Frank Lawler conceded.

"But full credit to Cessnock, they were tough and committed. And it's still very early days ... this was only our second competitive match of the season, so there's still a bit of rust there.

"This is not a bad thing in the scheme of the season."

Probably the most disappointing thing from Maitland's point of view was that early on Cessnock seemed the hungrier side. Certainly in the early exchanges the Pickers were out-enthused.

The Goannas opened the scoring - a pretty soft try at that to halfback Gerome Burns - before Maitland started to work their way back into the game.

But even then a lack of discipline resulting in penalties made it hard on themselves. Too often they found themselves in possession deep in their own half. On the occasions they got the ball inside Cessnock's half the Pickers looked very dangerous.

The match was turned on its ear midway through the first half when a collision between players going for a loose ball meant Cessnock captain Reed Hugo and halfback Burns had to leave the field with cheekbone and shoulder injuries respectively, while Pickers fullback Daniel Langbridge was also forced off with concussion.

By that stage Maitland second rower Pat Mata'utia had already been forced off with a leg injury, reducing both sides to 15 players - it became not just a battle of football, but attrition too.

Without their skipper and halfback, Cessnock five-eighth AJ Davis stood tall, taking on the playmaking role and turning Maitland around with judicious kicking, and barking instructions to his players. He was outstanding.

There were some good individual performances from the Pickers too - front rower James Taylor was superb, five eighth Chad O'Donnell was dangerous, second rower Benton Allwood was a handful in his new second row position and skipper Alex Langbridge was his usual rock solid self.

But a lack of discipline, a lack of patience, and too many penalties proved too much against a Cessnock side that loves to get in the arm wrestle and get dirty.

Their forwards, not exactly household names, are fiercely competitive and it showed in their goal line defence.

Ironically, with a minute left on the clock Maitland could still have pinched the result. Big centre Tom Hughes found himself in the clear. He tried to beat the speedy Cessnock fullback - the last line of defence - on the outside and was forced in to touch when he needed to stay infield.

Cessnock coach Todd Edwards was proud of his team's effort.

"There's no egos in these guys, they just keep turning up for each other," he said.

"AJ Davis was great today, but we were strong right across the park.

"Make no mistake not many sides will come to Maitland and get the two points. They're too good for that and have too many weapons.

"It's early days but I still think they're the benchmark."