History of the Newcastle Knights facts for kids
| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Newcastle Rugby League Football Club |
||
| Nickname(s) | Novocastrians, Newy | ||
| Colours | Primary: Blue Red Secondary: White |
||
| Founded | 1988 | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) |
|
||
| CEO | Phil Gardner | ||
| Coach | Nathan Brown | ||
| Captain | Mitchell Pearce | ||
| Competition | National Rugby League | ||
|
|||
| Records | |||
| Premierships | 2 (1997, 2001) | ||
| Wooden spoons | 4 (2005, 2015, 2016, 2017) | ||
| Most capped | Danny Buderus - 257 | ||
| Highest points scorer | Andrew Johns - 2,176 | ||
The Newcastle Knights are a professional rugby league team from Newcastle, Australia. They joined Australia's top rugby league competition in 1988. Since then, they have been an important part of the sport's history in Australia. The Knights are known for their strong community support and their exciting style of play.
Contents
The Early Years: 1980s
Before the Knights, Newcastle had a local rugby league team for many years. In the 1980s, the NSWRL premiership wanted to grow into a national competition. Newcastle was invited to join in 1982 but said no. They worried it would make their local league weaker. The Canberra Raiders joined instead.
In 1988, the Newcastle Knights finally joined the NSW Rugby League competition. Two other teams, the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants, also joined that year. Allan McMahon was the first coach. The team quickly became very popular in its first season.
Rising Stars: The 1990s
By 1990, the Knights were strong enough to compete for a top spot. In 1991, they won their first competition, the Nissan Sevens. They reached the playoffs in 1992 but were beaten by the St. George Dragons. The Knights made the semi-finals again in 1995. That same year, their reserve grade team won a premiership.
During the "Super League war," the Knights stayed loyal to the Australian Rugby League. This decision was very popular with fans in Newcastle. Another team, the Hunter Mariners, was formed to compete with the Knights, but they didn't get much support.
From 1997 to 2003, the Knights made it to the finals seven times in a row.
First Premiership Win: 1997
The Knights won their first 1997 Australian Rugby League premiership in 1997. They beat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 22–16 in the Grand Final. Robbie O'Davis won the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player in the final. The game is famous for its thrilling end, with Darren Albert scoring a try just seconds before the end. This win was a huge boost for the Newcastle area, especially after a major local employer, BHP, announced it was closing. A great fact is that 70% of the winning team were local players from Newcastle.
After this win, some players faced issues with rules about what they could take to improve performance. Three players were suspended, and one player's contract was ended.
In 1998, the Knights finished second in the regular season, tied on points with the Brisbane Broncos. In 1999, they had a good chance for the finals but lost their last two games. They finished 7th and were knocked out in the first week of the finals.
A New Century of Success: The 2000s
The Knights finished third in 2000 but lost a close game to the Roosters, missing the Grand Final. However, they came back strong in 2001.
Second Premiership Win: 2001
In 2001, the Knights won the National Rugby League Premiership. They beat the Parramatta Eels in the Grand Final, with Andrew Johns winning the Clive Churchill Medal. Many people thought the Eels would win easily, but the Knights surprised everyone. They led 24–0 at halftime and won 30–24. In 2002, the club again finished second in the regular season, tied on points with the New Zealand Warriors.
Andrew Johns was a superstar player. He won the Dally M Medal (for the best player in the league) three times: in 1998, 1999, and 2002. He also won the Provan-Summons Medal (the fans' choice award) four years in a row from 1998 to 2001. This was a record!
In 2004, many players, including Andrew Johns, were injured. The team missed the finals, finishing 10th. However, players like Matthew Gidley, Kurt Gidley, and Danny Buderus played very well.
Tough Times and Comebacks
The 2005 season started very tough for the Knights. They lost their first 13 games in a row. This was the worst start to a season for any club since 1966. But their fans stayed loyal and kept coming to games. The team then turned things around, winning 8 of their last 11 games, including a six-game winning streak. Even though they finished last, their strong finish showed their fighting spirit.
In 2006, the Knights had a great comeback season. They signed new players and kept their promising young talent. They finished fourth in the season, a huge improvement! However, they were knocked out of the finals after a big loss to the Brisbane Broncos.
After the 2006 season, long-time coach Michael Hagan left. Brian Smith took over as coach in 2007. The 2007 season was difficult. The team started well, but then Andrew Johns suddenly retired. This had a big impact on the team. They also had many injuries, using 37 different players in the top team that season.
In 2008, the Knights had a strong year and almost made the finals. They lost their last game, which allowed the New Zealand Warriors to take the 8th spot. The 2009 season started well, with the Knights in second place after 10 rounds. They also tied their best home winning streak with 9 wins. Coach Brian Smith announced he would leave the club. Assistant coach Rick Stone became the new coach. The Knights made the finals, finishing 7th, but lost in the first week to the Bulldogs.
The 2010s and Beyond
The Knights signed new major sponsors, McDonald's and Coca-Cola, for the 2010 season. They also signed several promising young players and experienced stars. The team finished 11th in 2010. Adam Macdougall scored the most tries for the club, and Akuila Uate tied the record for most tries in a single season.
In 2011, mining boss Nathan Tinkler took over the club. Soon after, famous coach Wayne Bennett joined the Knights. They finished 8th in 2011 and made the finals. After the 2011 season, the Knights brought back club legends Danny Buderus and Timana Tahu. They also signed stars like Darius Boyd and Kade Snowden.
The Knights celebrated 25 years in the NRL in 2012. However, it was a tough season. Captain Kurt Gidley was injured for most of the year. The team struggled and finished 12th. But they did sign two exciting players, Willie Mason and Dane Gagai, who became highlights of the season.
In 2013, the Knights had a strong start and were consistent all year. They finished 7th and made the finals. They beat Canterbury-Bankstown and then upset the Melbourne Storm. They made it to one game short of the Grand Final, losing to the Sydney Roosters.
The 2014 season was not as good. The Knights stayed near the bottom of the ladder and finished 12th. Coach Wayne Bennett announced he would leave the club at the end of the season.
Knights Team Of The Era
In 2007, the Knights announced their "Team of 20 Years." This team featured many of the club's greatest players:
|
|
Coaches of the Knights
Many talented coaches have led the Newcastle Knights over the years:
|
Team Jerseys
The Knights have had different jersey manufacturers over the years:
- Good Fellows (1988–94)
- Peerless (1995–96)
- Canterbury (1997–99)
- Fila (2000–01)
- ISC (2002–07)
- KooGa (2008–10)
- X-Blades (2011)
- ISC (2012–2019)
- O'Neills (2020–present)
- Newcastle Knights - home jerseys
-
1988–1996
-
1997–2000
-
2001–2004
-
2005–2007
-
2008–2010
- Newcastle Knights - away jerseys
-
Trial 1988
-
2000–2002
-
2003–2005
-
2006–2007
-
2008–2009
-
2010–2011
- Newcastle Knights - heritage jerseys
-
2008
-
2009–2011
-
2012–present
Major Sponsors
The Knights have been supported by many major sponsors:
- Henny Penny (1988–90)
- BP (1991–93)
- Stockland (1995–97)
- Impulse Airlines (1998–01)
- Flight Centre (2001)
- QantasLink (2002–04)
- Coal & Allied (2005–11)
- Hunter Ports (2012–2014)
- Newpave Asphalt (2015–2017)
- nib Health Funds (2018–Present)
Awards and Player Achievements
The Knights have had many players win important awards:
Clive Churchill Medal Winners
|
Dally M Medal Winners
|
Rothmans Medal Winners
|
Rugby League Golden Boot Winners
|
Club Honours and Records
Premierships
The Knights have won the main competition twice:
- 1997
- 2001
Finals Series Appearances
The Knights have made the finals many times:
- 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013
Wooden Spoons (Last Place Finishes)
The team has finished last four times:
- 2005, 2015, 2016, 2017
Individual Player Records
Career Records
- Most Games: Danny Buderus (258 games)
- Most Points: Andrew Johns (2190 points)
- Most Tries: Akuila Uate (110 tries)
- Most Goals: Andrew Johns (920 goals)
Season Records
- Most Points in a Season: Andrew Johns (2001) (279 points)
- Most Tries in a Season: Akuila Uate (2010) (21 tries), Timana Tahu (2002) (21 tries)
Match Records
- Most Points in a Match: Andrew Johns (Rd 21, 2001) (34 points - 4 tries, 9 goals) against Canberra
- Most Tries in a Match:
- James McManus (Rd 16, 2013) (4 tries) against Gold Coast
- Akuila Uate (Rd 26, 2011) (4 tries) against South Sydney
- Cooper Vuna (Rd 24, 2010) (4 tries) against Brisbane
- Andrew Johns (Rd 21, 2001) (4 tries) against Canberra
- Adam MacDougall (Rd 20, 2001) (4 tries) against New Zealand
- Darren Albert (Rd 3, 2000) (4 tries) against Wests Tigers
- Most Goals in a Match: Andrew Johns (Rd 2, 2006) (11 goals) against Canberra
