Newcastle Knights facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
 Newcastle Knights 

Club information
Full name	Newcastle Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)	Newy
Website	newcastleknights.com.au
Colours	Primary:      Blue      Red Secondary:      White
Founded	1987
Current details
Ground(s)	McDonald Jones Stadium (30,000)
CEO	Phil Gardner
Coach	Adam O'Brien
Captain	Kalyn Ponga
Competition	National Rugby League
2024 season NRL	8th
Uniforms
Home colours Away colours
Records
Premierships	2 (1997, 2001)
Runners-up	0
Wooden spoons	4 (2005, 2015, 2016, 2017)
Most capped	257 - Danny Buderus
Highest points scorer	2,176 - Andrew Johns

The Newcastle Knights are a professional rugby league team from Newcastle, Australia. They play in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The team wears red and blue colors. The Knights joined the top league in 1988. This was 79 years after the last Newcastle team, the Newcastle Rebels, left the Sydney competition.

The club has won the NRL championship twice. They won in 1997 and again in 2001. They are one of only two clubs that have never lost a Grand Final they played in. Famous players include Paul Harragon, Robbie O'Davis, Danny Buderus, and rugby league legend Andrew Johns. The team's home games are played at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Team History and Wins

A rugby league team from Newcastle had played in different competitions for most of the 1900s. The Newcastle Knights joined the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition in 1988. Allan McMahon was their first coach. Newcastle had been asked to join in 1982 but said no. They worried it would make their local league weaker. The Canberra Raiders joined instead that year.

The team quickly became popular. By 1990, they were strong enough to play for a top-five spot. In 1991, they won their first competition, the Nissan Sevens. They reached the playoffs in 1992 but lost to the St George Dragons. In 1995, they made the semi-finals again. That same year, they won the reserve grade championship.

The club stayed loyal to the Australian Rugby League (ARL) during the "Super League war." This decision was very popular in Newcastle. Another team, the Hunter Mariners, was formed to compete with the Knights. But the Mariners did not get much support in the area.

From 1997 to 2003, the Knights made it to the finals for seven years in a row. They won the 1997 Australian Rugby League premiership. They beat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 22–16 in the Grand Final. The game is famous for its exciting end. Darren Albert scored a try with only seven seconds left to win. This win was a huge boost for the area. It happened after the biggest local employer, BHP Newcastle Steelworks, announced it was closing. Most of the winning team were local Newcastle players. Robbie O'Davis won the Clive Churchill Medal that year.

In 1998, Newcastle finished second in the league. They had the same points as the Brisbane Broncos but a lower points difference. In 1999, the Knights finished 7th. They were knocked out of the finals by the Parramatta Eels. The Knights came third in 2000. Then, in 2001, they won the National Rugby League championship. They beat the Parramatta Eels, and Andrew Johns won the Clive Churchill Medal.

Andrew Johns won the Dally M Medal for best player two years in a row (1998 and 1999). He won it a third time in 2002, which was amazing. Johns also won the Provan-Summons Medal (the fans' choice award) four years in a row. This was from 1998 to 2001. No other player has done this.

Newcastle International Sports Centre at night showing the old main grandstand

In 2005, the club had a tough start. They lost their first 13 games. This was the worst start to a season since the 1960s. In 2006, the Knights turned things around. They finished fourth in the season. But they lost in the semi-final to the Brisbane Broncos 50–6.

Before the 2006 season, coach Michael Hagan announced he would leave. Brian Smith took over as coach in 2007. The 2007 season was difficult for the club. They started well, but then their captain, Andrew Johns, suddenly retired. This greatly affected the team. They also had many injuries, using 37 different players that season.

The Knights avoided finishing last in 2007. They won their final game against the Wests Tigers. This meant the Penrith Panthers finished last instead.

Chart of yearly table positions for Newcastle Knights in First Grade Rugby League

In 2008, the team improved and almost made the finals. In 2009, they had a great start. They matched their best home winning streak with nine wins. Coach Brian Smith announced he was leaving. Assistant coach Rick Stone became the new coach. The Knights finished 7th but lost in the first week of the finals.

In 2010, the Knights finished 11th. They did not make the finals. Adam MacDougall scored the most tries for the club. Akuila Uate equaled the record for most tries in a season. In March 2011, mining boss Nathan Tinkler took over the club. In April 2011, Wayne Bennett was signed as coach. The Knights finished 8th in 2011. They were knocked out in the first week of the finals. After 2011, many players left, but nine new famous players joined. These included club legends Danny Buderus and Timana Tahu. Also, Kangaroos players Darius Boyd and Kade Snowden joined.

In 2012, the Newcastle club celebrated 25 years in the NRL. Captain Kurt Gidley had a shoulder injury and missed most of the season. The team finished 12th. They signed Willie Mason and Dane Gagai that year.

In 2013, Newcastle finished 7th. They made it to the third week of the finals. They beat the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne. But they lost to the Sydney Roosters 40–14 in the preliminary final.

In 2014, a Newcastle player, Alex McKinnon, suffered a serious spinal injury during a game. The NRL held a special "Rise for Alex Round" to help him. Money from ticket sales went to his medical care.

In July 2015, coach Rick Stone was let go. Danny Buderus coached for the rest of the 2015 season. Newcastle finished last, getting their second "wooden spoon."

In September 2015, Nathan Brown became the new coach. In 2016, the club had a tough year. They lost 62–0 to Cronulla, their biggest home loss ever. Newcastle won only one game all year. They finished last for the second year in a row. In 2017, they finished last again, making it three wooden spoons in a row.

In November 2017, the club was sold to The Wests Group. This group is a not-for-profit club in Newcastle. The next season saw the arrival of new star players. These included Mitchell Pearce, Kalyn Ponga, and Aidan Guerra. The team started strong, winning five of their first eight games. But an injury to Mitchell Pearce meant they finished 11th.

In 2019, forwards David Klemmer and Tim Glasby joined the team. Newcastle lost five games in a row after their first win. But then they won five games in a row and reached 4th place. They finished the season in 11th place.

In 2020, Newcastle made the finals for the first time since 2013. They finished 7th. They lost to South Sydney 46–20 in the first week of the finals.

In 2021, Newcastle made the finals again, finishing 7th. They lost to Parramatta 28–20 in the first week. In 2022, the team finished 14th, winning six games.

In 2023, Newcastle had their biggest win ever. They beat Canterbury 66–0. They finished the 2023 season in 5th place. They won nine games in a row to climb from 14th. In the first week of the finals, they beat Canberra 30–28 in extra time. But they lost to the New Zealand Warriors 40–10 in the second week, ending their season.

In the 2024 NRL season, Newcastle finished 8th and made the finals. They were knocked out in the first week by North Queensland.

Team Logos and Colors

• Newcastle Knights - Logos
• 

  1988–1997

• 

  1998–2007

• 

  2008-2019

• 

  2020-Present

In 1988, the Newcastle Knights were formed again. They were meant to represent rugby league in the Hunter region. They chose "The Knights" as their name. This was a nod to Newcastle's history as a "steel city." The team's red and blue jersey colors came from the local representative team. That team wore red jerseys, white shorts, and blue socks.

• Newcastle Knights - Jerseys
• 

  1988–1991

• 

  1992–1996

• 

  1997–2000

Players

Current Squad

Team Captains

Here are all the players who have been captain for the Newcastle Knights in the top league.

Coaches of the Knights

• Allan McMahon (1988 – 1991)
• David Waite (1991 – 1994)
• Mal Reilly (1995–1998)
• Warren Ryan (1999–2000)
• Michael Hagan (2001–2006)
• Brian Smith (2007 – 2009)
• Rick Stone (2009 – 2011)
• Wayne Bennett (2012–2014)
• Rick Stone (2015)
• Danny Buderus (2015)
• Nathan Brown (2016 – 2019)
• Kristian Woolf (2019)
• Adam O'Brien (2020 – present)

Team Jerseys

Jersey Makers

• Good Fellows (1988–94)
• Peerless (1995–1996)
• Canterbury (1997–1999)
• Fila (2000–2001)
• ISC (2002–2007)
• KooGa (2008–2010)
• XBlades (2011)
• ISC (2012–2019)
• O'Neills (2020–2022)
• Classic Sportswear (2023–present)

Home Jerseys

1988–1996	1997–2000	2001–2004	2005–2007
2008–2010	2011–2012	2013–2014	2015–2016
2017–2018	2019–present

Away Jerseys

2000–2002	2003–2005	2006–2007	2008–2009
2010–2011	2012	2013	2014–2015
2016–2018

Other Jerseys

1988 Trial	2008 Heritage	2009–2011 Heritage	2012 Heritage
2014 Women in League	2015 Heritage

Team Records

Head-to-Head Records Against Other Teams

Opponent	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Dolphins	5	4	0	1	80.00
Rabbitohs	48	29	0	19	60.42
Tigers	39	22	0	17	56.41
Titans	31	17	0	14	54.84
Eels	59	31	1	27	52.54
Sharks	61	32	1	28	52.46
Warriors	51	25	1	26	48.08
Cowboys	46	22	0	24	47.83
Raiders	59	27	2	30	45.76
Bulldogs	57	26	1	30	45.61
Panthers	57	24	4	29	42.11
Sea Eagles	60	23	1	36	38.33
Storm	48	17	0	31	35.42
Roosters	61	21	2	38	34.43
Dragons	44	15	0	29	34.09
Broncos	56	17	1	38	30.36

Last updated on 3 March 2023. Source:

Season Summary

Main Sponsors

• Henny Penny (1988–1990)
• BP (1991–1993)
• Stockland (1995–1997)
• Impulse Airlines (1998–2001)
• Flight Centre (2001)
• QantasLink (2002–2004)
• Coal & Allied (2005–2011)
• Hunter Ports (2012–2014)
• Newpave Asphalt (2015–2016)
• nib Health Funds (2017–present)
• Palmerbet (2021–present)

Awards and Achievements

Club Championship Wins

Championships: 2 (1997*, 2001)

Finals Series Appearances: 17 (1992, 1995, 1997*, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024)

* ARL season only

Team Statistics

Player Records

Career Records

Most Games Played

• Danny Buderus 257 games

Most Points Scored

• Andrew Johns 2,176 points

Most Tries Scored

• Akuila Uate 110 tries

Most Goals Kicked

• Andrew Johns 917 goals

Season Records

Most Points in a Season

• Andrew Johns (2001) 279 points

Most Tries in a Season

• Dom Young (2023) 23 tries

Match Records

Most Points in a Single Game

• Andrew Johns (Round 21, 2001) 34 points vs Canberra

Most Tries in a Single Game

• Edrick Lee (Round 16, 2022) 5 tries vs Gold Coast

Most Goals in a Single Game

• Kalyn Ponga (Round 18, 2023) 11 goals vs Canterbury-Bankstown
• Andrew Johns (Round 2, 2006) 11 goals vs Canberra

Club Song

Go Hard, Go Knights (1995–present)

Playin' hard, playin' tough,
Just plain good is not good enough,
We're gonna show you what league's all about,
If there's a lesson to be learned we're handing it out.

This game is our game,
This town is our town,
Turn the heat up and listen to the crowd.
Go hard, Go Knights, Go proud.

This game is our game,
This town is our town,
Turn the heat up and listen to the crowd.
Go hard, Go Knights, Go proud.

Famous Supporters

Newcastle Knights fans are known for being very passionate. In 2008, 2011, and 2012, they were the third most supported club in the league. In 2012, they also had the biggest crowd for a Monday Night Football game.

Some well-known supporters of the club include:

Women's Team

On June 11, 2021, the Newcastle Knights were allowed to have a team in the NRL Women's (NRLW) competition. Former Knights player Blake Green was announced as the head coach. The season was delayed to 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 1, 2021, the Knights signed their first NRLW player, Caitlan Johnston. She had played for the Indigenous All Stars and Prime Minister's XIII. She was also a founding player for the Knights' junior team in 2018.

On November 25, 2021, Casey Bromilow, the Knights' junior team coach, became the new NRLW head coach. Jess Skinner was named assistant coach. On the same day, the Knights signed six more local players. These included Bobbi Law, Jayme Fressard, Georgia Page, Phoebe Desmond, Chantelle Graham, and Kyra Simon. Six development players also joined: Bree Chester, Sophie Clancy, Matilda Jones, Kayla Romaniuk, Jesse Southwell, and Tylah Vallance.

On December 1, 2021, the Knights signed nine players from the Kiwi Ferns. These players were Ngatokotoru Arakua, Maitua Feterika, Annetta Nu'uausala, Charntay Poko, Krystal Rota, Charlotte Scanlan, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly, Katelyn Vaha'akolo, and Kararaina Wira-Kohu. Two days later, they signed Romy Teitzel, AFLW player Paige Parker, rugby sevens player Emma Sykes, and four players from the North Queensland Gold Stars.

In January 2022, the Knights signed Kirra Dibb. On February 21, the 24-player squad was complete with the signing of Shannon Evans. Romy Teitzel was named team captain. Caitlan Johnston and Krystal Rota were named club captains.

The team played 5 matches in their first season but did not win any.

In April 2022, Ronald Griffiths was announced as the new head coach.

On May 18, 2022, the Knights signed Australian Jillaroos players Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton for their second season. Other important signings for 2022 included Sydney Roosters championship winners Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Higgins, Simone Karpani, Tayla Predebon, Hannah Southwell, and former Jillaroos player Caitlin Moran. Also, former Roosters players Shanice Parker and Kiana Takairangi joined.

On August 16, 2022, Millie Boyle and Hannah Southwell became co-captains.

The Knights won 4 of their 5 regular season games. They then won their first championship during the 2022 NRL Women's season. They beat the Parramatta Eels 32–12.

See also

In Spanish: Newcastle Knights para niños