Historic NRL Grand Final Return
Newcastle Knights Stun Minor Premiers Penrith to Reach First Grand Final Since 2001
Anonymous
The Newcastle Knights stunned minor premiers Penrith 22-14 in the NRL preliminary final to reach their first grand final since 2001. Newcastle played the entire second half with 12 men after Phoenix Crossland was sent off for a hip-drop tackle that injured Nathan Cleary, but scored three second-half tries, including Sandon Smith’s decisive late interception. The win followed a revival under coach Justin Holbrook, a year after the Knights finished with the wooden spoon, and was fueled by strong community support. Newcastle will face the Sydney Roosters in the grand final; Cleary was taken to hospital with a broken leg, and his father and coach, Ivan, said he had already been playing with a broken foot.
Key Points
1
Former Knights player Matty Johns, who won the 1997 premiership with Newcastle, became emotional during the live broadcast of the victory. He later explained: “There’s something about the community up there and the people.”
2
Newcastle’s longer decline included finishing with four wooden spoons in 11 seasons and winning only one finals game since 2013, according to the Guardian’s account.
3
The club’s return to its roots followed the mid-season sacking of coach Adam O’Brien; the Guardian reported that Newcastle’s response to fan criticism—including O’Brien’s remark that booing supporters “don’t know anything about rugby league”—helped shape the decision to move on and appoint Justin Holbrook.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
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Articles
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Reach
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