JUSTIN HOLBROOK – New Knights Coach “Thrilled” to Take Top Job

 BY PETER HYSLOP

New Knights head coach Justin Holbrook says he’s excited to have the job to bring the side from the bottom of the ladder next season.

Holbrook says he has the experience with a wooden spoon side from his time with the Titans.

He says the Newcastle community gets behind its side like few other places do.

“The thing that sticks out is the love of the game. Not just from the players, the whole city, the whole town just loves Rugby League and that’s what sticks out the most.

“Whenever I [came] up here as an opposition team or coach an opposition team, it always gave me good memories and a good feeling,” he said.

He says he wants to continue develop new talent from the pathways system.

“A lot of the sort of things I’ve been asked about to fix are already happening.

“I don’t have to come in and try and tip everything upside down. They didn’t have a great year, we all know that, but I think the upside is the playing squad and things that are getting done already,” he said.

Newcastle Knights receive Key to the City after NRLW win

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hundreds of fans gathered at Newcastle City Hall on Tuesday evening to celebrate the Newcastle Knights claiming the 2022 NRLW Premiership.

The 32-to-12 victory over the Parramatta Eels is Newcastle's first trophy since the men's Premiership win in 2001.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes also presented the 24-woman squad with a Key to the City at the civic reception, accepted by captain Millie Boyle.

Ms Boyle says it's an incredible moment.

"On behalf of the entire team, I’d like to thank the Lord Mayor for opening the doors to City Hall to celebrate the team’s victory," she said. 

"It means so much to the players, captains and coaches to have such strong support from Novocastrians, which has kept us buoyed throughout the season. It's wonderful to share this celebration with the city."

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and the Newcastle Knights at City Hall.

Lord Mayor puts jersey on the line for NRLW Grand Final

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes has accepted a challenge from her Parramatta counterpart ahead of the NRLW Grand Final clash on Sunday.

The Knights are headed to Accor Stadium to take a shot at the Women's Premiership, less than a year after claiming the wooden spoon in their inaugural season.

In their round three meeting earlier this month, Newcastle came out just ahead of the Sydney side with an 18-16 win.

"We were one of the inaugural sponsors to ensure that we got a women's NRL team here, and I couldn't be more proud of those young women," Cr Nelmes said.

"They've represented Newcastle perfectly and I'm expecting a very good result."

The stakes are high for the Lord Mayor too, however - if the Eels come out on top, Nuatali Nelmes will don the blue and gold at Newcastle Council's next meeting.

And if the Knights claim victory, Parramatta Lord Mayor Donna Davis will wear a Newcastle jersey instead.

Cr Nelmes says she's looking forward to a Grand Final win, here in the Hunter.

"I'll be sending you down a Knights W-League jersey for your next council meeting," she said.

"When the men can't get it done in Newcastle, just ask the women. They'll get it done."

The Knights came out on top of the Eels earlier this month.

Knights Star Injured in Hamilton Altercation

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The Newcastle Knights have confirmed star player Jacob Saifiti has broken his leg during an altercation in Hamilton over the weekend.

The 22-year-old was escorted away from the Greenroof Hotel along with another man, reported by The Newcastle Herald to be Central Newcastle player Dane Cordner, early yesterday morning after they engaged in a verbal altercation.

The club understands the pair then came together further down the street, with a push, shove and punch which knocked Saifiti to the ground, injuring his leg.

Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the night in question.

In a statement, the Knights say, "The matter is now with the police. Given the facts, Saifiti may be subject to disciplinary action taken by the club at the appropriate time."

It's anticipated the injury will see Saifiti sidelined for three months.

Jacob Saifiti. Image: Zimbio.

Klemmer Pulls on the Red and Blue for Huge Knights Signing

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Test prop David Klemmer is being described by some as the Newcastle Knights' new Paul Harragon and the "sort of person the club needs," after inking a 5-year deal reportedly worth more than $4 million.

The 24-year-old has already played 17 times for Australia and 12 times for NSW, and it's that test experience Coach Nathan Brown says the Knights have been seeking for some time.

With a wife and 3 young sons, Klemmer says the move from Canterbury was made with family in mind.

"It's very appealing to come up here and raise your family," he says, "my kids have lived in Western Sydney so coming up here will offer a different lifestyle - I'm very blessed and lucky..."

He says it took him a few months to mull things over but he's confident the move to Newcastle will be worth the heartache of leaving his Bulldogs teammates.

"That was stuff for 3 or 4 months I had to play through my head and the decision I had to make," he says, "I thought this was the best decision for my family and for me to improve."

Klemmer's signing represents a major coup for Newcastle, who'll be taking to the field with the likes of Herman Ese'ese, Jacob and Daniel Saifiti, Josh King and rookie Pasami Saulo.

The Knights have also welcomed signings of Queensland Origin prop Tim Glasby and prop forward James Gavet.

Coach Nathan Brown says he's looking forward to the challenge of guiding such an impressive side.

"From a coach's point of view, we're always under pressure, there's no doubt about that," he says, "when you sign good players you come under more pressure, but you'd rather sign good players and have more pressure than less, because the reality of it is we need good players."

Brown believes the Knights can undergo the same transformation as the Cowboys and Cronulla in the past 4 or 5 years, who he says broke their finals droughts with the addition of quality footballers.

"In Klemmer [we get a test player] who's coming into his prime - we're quite hopeful that with him, Timmy Glasby and Jimmy Gavet we've got some experienced middles that can help get Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce out on the front foot," Brown says.

David Klemmer is contracted to the Knights until late 2023.

New home: David Klemmer and his son pass the footy. 

Knights Centre of Excellence Vision Revealed

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Concept plans have today been unveiled for the $20 million Newcastle Knights Centre of Excellence.

NSW Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres joined Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald and Venues NSW boss Paul Doorn in Broadmeadow today to announce the designs and project funding, which comes from both the state government and the Wests Group.

A four storey building will be constructed at the southern end of McDonald Jones Stadium, as well as some accommodation for country kids getting started in NRL.

"There'll be across the board support for everyone trying to get involved in the game [through collaboration with the University of Newcastle]," Scot MacDonald said, "whether that be through nutrition and how to recover from injuries..."

Three new fields will also be built on the park side adjacent to the Centre of Excellence.

Knights CEO Philip Gardner said the Centre will serve more purposes than just supporting the team.

"The focus is on speed, agility and strength; those things that are common to all sports," Mr Gardner said.

"It will be an opportunity for all talented kids to be able to access that facility...It’s a fantastic opportunity for rugby league and indeed for all sports who want to have elite pathways..."

Philip Gardner believes construction is hoped to begin by the end of this year, with a completion date around late 2019 or early 2020.

"If the Knights want to compete at the highest level in their sport they need a Centre of Excellence," the CEO asserted, "If you want to compete at that level and attract talent, you need to have these facilities."

Image: Newcastle Knights

Knights Old Boys Reach Everest Base Camp!

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Fulfilling their goal in just nine days of trekking, a team of former Newcastle Knights players have reached Mount Everest Base Camp.

Former Knights stars including Kurt and Matt Gidley, Matty Johns, Danny Buderus, Paul 'Chief' Harragon and Mark Hughes made up the team, who got off to a nervous start in Nepal after their luggage was lost at the airport.

It was all uphill from there- literally- as they scaled to an altitude of 5380 metres; 20 years on from another momentous occasion in Knights' history- the 1997 premiership victory.

The team completed the trek in the name of brain cancer research, with a total sum of $448, 125 raised so far for the Mark Hughes Foundation.

Large contributions were made from sponsors NIB and Adam MacDougall's The Man Shake, however, the tally falls just short of the Foundation's original $500,000 fundraising target.

Mark Hughes says he's very proud of the team, who battled the effects of altitude to conquer the task.

It's expected they will return home fit and healthy.

To donate to the MHF Everest Challenge, head to the Mark Hughes Foundation website.

We did it!!!!!!! 28 our of 28 blokes made it! Unbelievable experience. Very challenging physically & mentally. @MarkHughesFdn #mhfeverest 🇳🇵 pic.twitter.com/MOVc2jaYq6

— Kurt Gidley (@kurt_gidley) October 24, 2017

Concerns raised about treatment of concussion in NRL

BY LAURISE DICKSON

Doctors from The University of Sydney are concerned about the impact of repeated concussions on NRL athletes. 

The issue was raised after the Newcastle Knights received a $50,000 fine for their poor concussion treatment of player Brendan Elliot earlier this year.

The Knights are also facing legal action from retired winger James McManus, who is suing the club for failure to manage the concussive injuries he received within his four years on the team.

McManus says the club's failure to conduct proper medical assessments following injuries to the head has left him suffering with ongoing disabilities, including memory loss, mood swings, headaches, anxiety and depression.

Dr Adrian Cohen, founder of HeadSafe, says research shows that concussion has become an increasing issue in recent years.

"There's no doubt our awareness of concussion has increased over the last decade, but certainly too is the number of concussion impacts," said Dr Cohen.

"Force equals mass times acceleration... they're getting bigger, they're getting faster, there's more concussions."

Dr Cohen says concussion has become a serious problem in the NRL, with many players past and present, facing long-term consequences.

"In the short-term, it's obvious when someone's knocked out or they can't return to work because they can't concentrate, they're seeing stars or hearing noises," said Dr Cohen.

"But in the longer-term, the potential exists for Chronic Neurological Impairment.  That means early dementia, Parkinson's Syndrome and emotional disturbances, up to and including depression and suicide."

Dr Cohen is urging athletes of the NRL and other contact sports to speak up if they are also suffering from the effects of repeated concussions.

"It's okay to say you're not okay," said Dr Cohen.

"If football is the cause of it, just like any other industrial workplace, football should be responsible for helping you out."

Former Knight's winger, James McManus PHOTO: The Daily Telegraph