Newcastle will welcome back Anthony Quinn to the club this season after the former Melbourne winger agreed to a one-year contract with the Knights.
Quinn played 103 first grade matches for the Knights between 2002 and 2006 before linking with the Storm.
The 29-year-old made three appearances for New South Wales in the 2008 State of Origin series.
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, newcastle-2300 First posted January 07, 2013 14:11:53Mining magnate Nathan Tinkler has maintained his control over the Newcastle Knights NRL team after an emergency meeting of the club's board and members.
Last week the Australian Tax Office moved to wind up the Knights and the Newcastle Jets A-League franchise because of a $2.7 million debt.
The debt is owed by Mr Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group (HSG).
The Knights Members Club (KMC) board has been increasingly nervous and there was speculation it would ask Mr Tinkler to hand back the club's NRL licence.
There was a $20 million bank guarantee when Mr Tinkler privatised the club in case things turned sour.
Mr Tinkler's right-hand man, HSG chief executive Troy Palmer, Knights boss Matt Gidley and coach Wayne Bennett addressed the meeting and did their best to allay members' fears.
Mr Palmer and Mr Gidley reinforced their view that HSG intends to pay the tax bill in the next few weeks.
The pair also said all of HSG's creditors would be paid, and that an audit report into the Knights' 2012 financial operations would reveal HSG had met all requirements.
After the meeting, Mr Palmer said it was business as usual for HSG and the Knights.
"Everyone agrees what a great job Nathan and the team has done and where the club has gone in a short period of time," he said.
"I think the members club are more than happy with that after asking their questions today.
"We are excited about next season."
Board chairman Nick Dan confirmed he had received assurances at the meeting.
"We want to see the club fully capitalised and I'm confident that this football club will always survive," he said.
ABC/AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia First posted December 17, 2012 20:55:00Senior figures at Newcastle's NRL and A-League teams say Nathan Tinkler is working quickly to pay a multi-million-dollar tax office debt to avoid the clubs being wound up.
The ATO has filed documents with the Federal Court to wind up Mr Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group, the Newcastle Knights and the Jets due to debts of $2.7 million.
The documents show the Knights have debts of $1.4 million, the Jets owe just over $1 million and HSG has debts of $184,000.
The two clubs and their parent company were given notice of the debts in September but failed to pay within the 21-day deadline.
A hearing has been set down for February 20.
In a video message to fans, Knights chief executive Matt Gidley says it is business as usual for the club.
"I've been advised that the outstanding payment to the ATO will be paid shortly and the issue will be resolved," he said.
"Our number one priority at the moment is to support our football team and not let this affect the great work our coaching staff and players are doing currently.
"For now, it's business as usual for us at the Knights."
Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby says the club remains focused on the current season.
"Our main concern at the Newcastle Jets at the moment is that the players and the staff over in Perth have got their mind on the jobs."
Football Federation Australia and the NRL says they have been assured the teams' operations will not be affected.
The news comes just weeks after another two of Mr Tinkler's companies were placed in liquidation and his private jet was seized.
The ATO has declined to comment further on the action.
An NRL spokesman says the league has been told the club's "issues" are under control.
The Jets are in Perth for tomorrow night's game with the Glory, and forward Adam Taggart says the news has not unsettled the team.
"It's something we can't really do anything about, so at the end of the day it doesn't really affect us," he said.
"We're going to go out there as a team and feeling the same as every week, so I don't think it really affects us too much to be honest."
Midfielder Ruben Zadkovich said a similar thing at a pre-match media conference in Perth.
"We don't know much about it. It's just business as usual for us, we're just focused on the football, and leave all the off-field stuff to them," he said.
Hunter Sports Group has issued a statement saying it was unaware of the ATO's action until being alerted by the media.
A spokeswoman says it is business as usual for both Newcastle clubs.
"We advise that any outstanding sum will be paid as soon as possible, well before the reported hearing date on the matter next February," the statement says.
Former Knights chairman Rob Tew, who brokered the deal to sell the club to Mr Tinkler, says it does not spell the end of the club.
"There's a course of action that's clearly identified within the sale of contract which includes accessing the bank guarantee and the club returning to a membership-owned entity."
The president of Jets supporter group the Squadron, Tim Verscheldon, says it is another hurdle for the club, which was on the brink of financial collapse when Mr Tinkler took over in 2010.
"I personally will never knock Nathan for what he's done for this town, this region, both sporting clubs," he said.
"He came in and saved us from the brink and put us on a new path, everything is just a stepping stone to something bigger."
Professor Ian Ramsey is the director of the Centre for Corporate Law and Securities Regulation at the University of Melbourne.
He says the matter may not get to court, if the debts are repaid before then.
"If this amount is disputed by the companies concerned, the critical job for the court is to work out what amount, if any, is owed," he told PM.
"But of course there is a major threat over the companies, which is that unless they pay this amount the court finds that it's owing, the court can wind up the companies.
"And effectively that means the appointment of a liquidator, a company's assets are sold, and that's the end of the company. That's the end of their businesses."
Tags: tax, a-league, nrl, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia, muswellbrook-2333 First posted December 13, 2012 11:51:25Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett has revealed Kurt Gidley will start the 2013 NRL season at half-back, with the former NSW skipper set to return to training following shoulder surgery.
The versatile Gidley, who can also play full-back, featured in just five matches last year before being sidelined after the round-eight win over Penrith.
The 30-year-old started the season at five-eighth before switching to half-back, but Bennett has already earmarked him for the number seven jersey for the Knights' season opener against Wests Tigers on March 11.
"He'll definitely play half-back," Bennett said.
"We just need to get him training - he has a slight calf strain at the moment.
"We need to do as much work with him as we can because he hasn't done anything for 12 months.
"Otherwise all is good with him, the shoulder is right and he is ready to go."
Bennett admitted Gidley's absence was a big blow for the Knights last year as a season of high expectation following the appointment of the seven-time premiership-winning coach ended with a disappointing 12th-place finish.
"Kurt was a huge loss for us last year as well. He's really got that attitude that all the top players have got," he said.
"You have either got that quality or you need to learn that quality and, at the moment, a lot of the young players have to learn that quality.
"That's what Willie (Mason) brings, that's what Danny (Buderus) brings and that's what Kurt brings."
With Gidley's absence last year, exciting half-back Tyrone Roberts played 18 games and Bennett said the 21-year-old is still very much a part of his plans, despite Gidley's return.
"Tyrone had a wonderful year for us in many ways," Bennett said.
"He's a young guy who got an opportunity to play NRL on a regular basis.
"You could see this morning that he was a lot more confident about himself.
"He's a long-term project for us, Tyrone. He's a wonderful young player with lots of talent so we don't want to lose him."
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia First posted December 04, 2012 13:11:34A frustrated Willie Mason blasted his team-mates for their ill-discipline and errors as an in-form South Sydney outfit carved up Newcastle 34-14 at the Olympic stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Rabbitohs moved into fourth spot on the ladder with their 10th win of the season, a six-tries-to-three attacking masterclass that was built on the back of a 22-10 half-time advantage.
Mason told Grandstand that while the inexperienced Knights gave it a good shot, they gifted Souths with far too many chances to score - chances that the Bunnies took with gusto.
"We've got a young side, inexperienced, and we were in it at the end there with 20 minutes to go," he said.
"But a couple of tries, ill discipline, dropping balls ... you can't give a side like that the opportunity because they're probably one of the best attacking sides in the comp."
South Sydney rookie Adam Reynolds continued to show why he could be the man to steer the Rabbitohs back to the finals after engineering the victory a year after being denied a finals berth by the Knights in round 26.
Reynolds was at the heart of most attacking raids, his short kicking game leading directly to two tries while a third try assist was butchered when Luke Burgess dropped a pass with the line wide open.
Dropped New South Wales winger Akuila Uate scored a double for the Knights, but he would have been disappointed with his afternoon's work.
With his side trailing by three converted tries midway through the second period, Uate virtually sealed his side's fate when he was stripped cold of the ball by Chris McQueen after cleaning up an innocuous grubber in his in-goal.
His day at least ended better than that of team-mate Kyle O'Donnell, the younger brother of former Test back-rower Luke O'Donnell having his debut stopped after just nine minutes thanks to a legal but vicious Sam Burgess shoulder charge.
The Bunnies did not take long to take control, Reynolds' kicking game and some crisp passing up the middle of the ruck leaving the Knights' defence backpedalling.
Dylan Farrell scored after just seven minutes thanks to a Dave Taylor flick pass, before John Sutton and Andrew Everingham sandwiched tries off Reynolds kicks around Uate's first four-pointer.
Mason said poor defence was Newcastle's biggest enemy on the afternoon.
"Our wrestle was awful," he admitted.
"They just kept finding the front. We didn't find the ascendancy in the ruck, they were just getting on their front, they were running from dummy half, flick passes out their arse, just everything.
"It was frustrating to play because our effort is there but we just couldn't get it."
Both sides scored again to give the Rabbitohs a 22-10 lead at the break before a neat short side play when a deep backline was set out to the left resulted in Nathan Peats going over virtually untouched down the right edge.
The Knights had put together back-to-back wins before arriving at Homebush on Sunday, an effort that made Mason think Wayne Bennett's men could beat the Bunnies.
"I did, and we did, we've had a great two weeks and we've come down here to win the game," he said.
"It was just disappointing that we went out like this.
"So [it's] back on the bus, back to think about next week straight away."
Rabbitohs: 34 (D Farrell, J Sutton, A Everingham, I Luke, N Peats, C McQueen tries; A Reynolds 5/6 conversions)
Knights: 14 (A Uate 2, C Houston tries; T Roberts 1/3 conversions)
ABC/AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, sydney-2000, redfern-2016, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia First posted July 08, 2012 15:59:46With its NRL finals hopes on the line, Newcastle delivered on its preseason promise with a clinical 26-4 victory over Cronulla at Newcastle Stadium on Monday night.
Five-eighth Jarrod Mullen was the star of the show, opening the scoring in the 16th minute before laying on three more to move the Knights into ninth spot on the ladder, just two behind the eighth-placed Wests Tigers with three matches to play.
The loss all but puts paid to the top four hopes of the Sharks, who are in sixth on 27 points and three points behind fourth-placed Manly.
It is a concept which two months ago seemed completely farcical given Newcastle's standing on the ladder, but Wayne Bennett's remarkable streak of making the finals every year since 1992 could remain intact.
The master coach himself refused to be drawn on the likelihood of stealing seventh or eighth spot.
"You just want to be playing well at this end of the season and we're doing that," he said.
"The rest of it gives us the best chance we've got.
"I've been in that many situations at this time of year, I can tell you about every experience.
"But the experience I enjoy most is (having) your teams playing well at the right end of the season .. and right now we're playing good football.
"Whether it's good enough to get us there, I'm not sure.
"But I'm pleased to be in the position we're in."
Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan and captain Paul Gallen said Mullen's kicking game was the difference in the match, while Bennett and Knights' skipper Danny Buderus praised his running and passing game - highlighting the No.6's dominant all-round performance.
As for whether the Sharks can make the finals Flanagan said: "If we win another game we'll be in there.
"If we win a couple more, we'll be near that top four."
Newcastle full-back Darius Boyd was the mastermind behind the opening converted try.
He drifted cross field before putting half-back Tyrone Roberts through a gaping hole, with the young half-back sending Mullen under the posts.
The 25-year-old then turned creator, hitting the afterburners to get on the outside of Cronulla half-back Jeff Robson before running 35 metres and setting up centre Dane Gagai to extend the lead to 12-0 after 27 minutes.
Mullen got the second half underway perfectly for the home side when one of his cross-field kicks was snatched by Boyd who was eventually awarded a benefit-of-the-doubt try by video referee Rod Lawrence, delighting the crowd of 15,394.
Proving he wasn't quite done yet, Mullen again split the Sharks flimsy defence out wide to set up winger Akuila Uate in the 71st minute, while Kevin Naiqama crossed in the last minute of the match to complete the blowout.
The match took a spiteful twist mid-way through the second half when Cronulla second-rower Jeremy Smith sparked a minor scuffle after dropping an elbow into the Knights' Roberts, lying prone on the ground.
The following set Knights prop Willie Mason was placed on report for hitting Jeff Robson late and high.
It prompted a brief show of spirit from the visitors, who immediately spread the ball wide and crossed through winger John Williams to reduce the margin to 18-4, but it was never going to be enough.
Cronulla bench forward Wade Graham, in his first match back from a sternum injury, left the field in the second half after aggravating the injury.
Knights: 26 (Mullen, Gagai, Boyd, Uate, Naiqama tries. Roberts 3/5 cons)
Sharks: 4 (Williams try. Carney 0/1 cons)
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, newcastle-2300, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted August 13, 2012 21:09:50Wayne Bennett almost certainly will not be involved in rugby league's finals series for the first time in more than two decades this season but the Newcastle coach insists 2012 is not a lost year.
Bennett took over at the Knights at the start of the season amid much fanfare and predictions of a top-four finish.
While that has not eventuated, Bennett insists his side can still take plenty from a year in which they emerged late in the season as finals contenders.
"There's a lot for us to take out of the season and come back and start our preseason being a lot further ahead because of what we did this year, with some quality players to come into the team," Bennett said.
"Eight weeks ago, we couldn't control the footy. We were playing with a lack of discipline and not a lot of intensity in our game, so we were in a hole eight or nine weeks ago."
Sunday's 42-20 loss to Manly essentially put paid to the Knights' finals chances and Bennett will watch the September action from afar for the first time since 1991, when his Brisbane side finished seventh under a top-five finals system.
Newcastle crashed to five successive mid-season losses to look a possible wooden-spoon candidate, before winning six of eight games ahead of the defeat to defending champions Manly.
"I said we wanted to take something out of the season, and the last eight weeks has been a different footy team," Bennett said.
"We can build on that next year and take some confidence out of that, and that's our priority - to get some confidence and build on something so, when we come into next year, we've got a good start rather than starting from a low base.
"They'll all know me by that stage and I'll know them better, but they certainly wanted to take something out of the season and we've done that now."
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia First posted August 20, 2012 16:29:45Wayne Bennett described his Newcastle side's performance as embarrassing as the Titans ran over the Knights 22-8 at Hunter Stadium on Saturday evening.
After a surprise win over the Bulldogs a fortnight ago, the Titans notched up another upset to pick up their fourth win of the season and draw level with the disappointing Knights.
It was Gold Coast's first back-to-back victory since the 2010 finals series.
Ashley Harrison, Nate Myles and Greg Bird all backed up from State of Origin with tremendous results, the latter two both crossing the stripe along with the outstanding Matt Srma and winger David Mead.
The trademark defence Bennett had hoped to rebuild the Knights with was exposed, especially against their own try line.
The veteran coach was at a loss to explain a performance he labelled as beyond poor but "embarrassing".
"We played with no energy and looked like we didn't want to be there," Bennett told Grandstand.
"And if they wanted to be there they wanted somebody else to do the job for them.
"Our line speed was terrible from the kick off. We didn't defend with any enthusiasm at all and that carried right through the game unfortunately.
"I can't believe what we dished up. Can't believe why we dished it up either."
Despite scoring the first try of the evening through New South Wales winger Akuila Uate, the Knights were lethargic in attack and porous in defence.
The hosts were also undone by just 11 completed sets in the second half, after returning an exemplarily 94 per cent completion rate in the opening 40 minutes.
Srma and Mead both scored in the space of three minutes before Myles split open the terrible Knights resistance from close range to give the visitors a 16-4 half-time lead.
Bird did likewise, running past a half-hearted tackle attempt by Newcastle five-eighth Jarrod Mullen, to extend the lead and all but put the contest to bed.
The Knights found consolation tries through Tyrone Roberts and Alex McKinnon late on as they suffered their third straight loss.
Titans coach John Cartwright praised his Origin stars for backing up.
"Nate, Harro and Birdy were tremendous," he said.
"It is important for your team that the Origin players get out there.
"There is a thought they need resting - we will definitely give them plenty of rest off the training field.
"But I think the fact they make the commitment to get out on the field, it's a huge lift for the guys around them."
Titans: 24 (M Srma, D Mead, N Myles, G Bird tries; S Prince 3/4 cons; 1/1 pen)
Knights: 14 (A Uate, T Roberts, A McKinnon tries; T Roberts 1/3 cons)
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia, robina-4226, qld First posted May 26, 2012 19:23:44North Queensland maestro Johnathan Thurston appears set for yet another dominant State of Origin series after steering the Cowboys to a 32-12 win over Newcastle on Saturday night.
In his last club game before Origin I, Thurston was the master puppeteer, playing a role in four of the Cowboys' five tries as winger Ashley Graham scored yet another double to take his tally to an NRL-best 11.
Thurston also managed five conversions and a penalty.
It was a case of third time lucky when Newcastle finally opened the scoring via Junior Sau in the ninth minute, with Timana Tahu and Neville Costigan having earlier both been held up over the line.
Matt Scott was denied a reply by the video referee for an obvious double movement.
Steve Clark's next intervention was more controversial when he rejected what appeared a fair effort by Kane Linnett - Clark ruling Akuila Uate had beaten the Cowboys centre to the ball.
Justice prevailed when a now dominating North Queensland scored with Graham powering over out wide and Ray Thompson finishing off a Brent Tate bust set up by Thurston and Matt Bowen for a 12-6 lead.
Knights skipper Chris Houston levelled proceedings in the shadows of half-time, but the Knights missed a golden opportunity to take the lead just after the restart when Uate spilled a ball at his laces without a defender in sight ten metres out from the Cowboys line.
Thurston made his own luck when a chip kick popped up off Tyrone Roberts for Michael Morgan to score just before the hour.
Thurston was more orthodox with his next effort, a sublime cut-out pass for Graham to dive over out wide six minutes later.
Tate lost the ball as he crawled to the line before Thurston engineered the late double to secure the win which moved the Cowboys into third spot on the ladder.
The match finished with a bizarre Cowboys try featuring four kicks, Gavin Cooper eventually diving on the ball to complete an amazing sequence which started in their own half.
North Queensland 32: (A Graham 2, R Thompson, M Morgan, G Cooper tries; J Thurston 5 cons, pen)
Newcastle 12: (J Saiu, C Houston tries; T Roberts 2 cons)
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, townsville-4810 First posted May 12, 2012 21:28:29North Queensland co-captain Johnathan Thurston declared himself a certain starter as the Cowboys look to build some momentum ahead of what is sure to be a disruptive State of Origin campaign.
Thurston had been on a restricted training schedule throughout the week after being on the receiving end of a high tackle which cost St George Illawarra back rower Matt Prior a five-game ban.
But as he left Townsville Airport for Saturday night's clash against Newcastle, Thurston said he was in no doubt for the match.
"I did all the tests yesterday and got the all-clear so I'm ready to play," Thurston said.
The match against the Knights shapes as an important one for the fourth-placed Cowboys, who could be one of the worst affected teams during Origin.
As well as Thurston, co-captain Matt Scott is another Queensland certainty, while veteran centre Brent Tate could feature for the Maroons and Tariq Sims could also play a part for New South Wales.
"We're going to lose a few players due to Origin so it would be nice to string a couple of wins together before that period starts," Thurston said.
"We haven't really backed up a good effort this year."
Only once, when they beat Brisbane and last-placed Parramatta in rounds two and three, have the Cowboys registered back-to-back wins.
The Knights have fared even worse, alternating wins and losses throughout their campaign.
But Newcastle have a defence which is the fourth stingiest in the league, which may come in handy against a Cowboys side which has struggled when points have been at a premium.
In the five games the Cowboys have won in 2012, they averaged 34 points while in their four losses they have scored just 12 per game.
Knights skipper Chris Houston said while his side's effort in defence was admirable, they needed more in attack.
"We are defending well, but we're just doing too much of it," Houston said.
"People have been saying our attack isn't as good as it should be, but when you do that much defence, it's always going to take its toll on your attack."
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, townsville-4810, qld First posted May 11, 2012 18:49:46The Roosters took advantage of an injury-ridden Newcastle to win 24-6 at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The victory was built on a four-try effort with Tinirau Arona, Mitch Aubusson, Sam Perrett and Mitchell Pearce crossing the stripe and moves the Roosters to a 5-4 record from nine matches.
Braith Anasta landed three conversions and a penalty goal.
Jarrod Mullen posted the Knights' lone try with Wes Naiqama adding the extras.
The Roosters were making their first appearance since their epic 28-24 Anzac Day loss to St George Illawarra at the same venue.
Full-back Anthony Minichiello, who again put his hand up for New South Wales State of Origin selection, highlighted that the Rosters were stung by that defeat to the Dragons.
"We had a long turnaround, so we had a long hard think about what happened 10, 11 days ago," he told Grandstand.
"We put some good hard training in through the week and it paid off today."
The fact the Roosters have lost almost as many matches as they have won this season was not lost on the recently re-signed Minichiello, who stressed consistency is needed if his side is to figure in the finals.
"We want to be a more consistent team and you've got to win on a weekly basis," he said.
Brian Smith's side dominated the first half but failed to find a way through some excellent line defence from the Knights, who were without the injured Kurt Gidley and Danny Buderus.
Despite being encamped in the visitors' half in the first period, it was the Roosters who fell behind in the 31st minute when Mullen darted over to score from his side's first genuine attack.
But the Roosters hit back four minutes before half-time when Arona got his fingertips to a clever grubber-kick from Pearce, with Anasta's conversion levelling the scores.
Anasta added a penalty on the stroke of half-time after Joel Walker was placed on report for a lifting tackle on Pearce that could have led to the the 23-year-old sustaining a serious injury.
The second period continued in a similar fashion with the hosts dominating possession, and Aubusson extended the lead just before the hour mark following a fine run after latching onto an inside pass from Pearce.
Perrett added a third following some inspired play from Minichiello, who threw a superb long pass and the New Zealand winger barged his way over the line.
The try was a reward for some superb play from the Roosters, who kept the ball alive on the fifth tackle 11 times.
Pearce added some gloss to the scoreline with his second four-pointer of the season, taking advantage of some good play out of dummy-half from Jake Friend.
Friend was also placed on report for a high shot on Alex McKinnon.
Roosters: 24 (Arona, Aubusson, Perrett, Pearce tries; Anasta 3 cons, pen)
Knights: 6 (Mullen try; Naiqama con)
AAP/ABC
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, sydney-2000, newcastle-2300 First posted May 06, 2012 16:49:18Kurt Gidley, Danny Buderus and Willie Mason all suffered injuries as Newcastle handed Penrith its fourth loss on the trot in a 34-14 result at Hunter Stadium on Monday night
The Knights rejoined the top eight and Mason rejoined the NRL in front of 16,892 fans who watched the Panthers fall to their fourth loss on the trot and conceded 30 or more points for the third straight match.
Gidley came into the clash on 996 career points, and his conversion of Zeb Taia's try at the half-hour mark pushed him past 1,000 as he become only the second Knights player after Andrew Johns (2,176) to do so.
But he left with in the second half with what could be a season-ending injury after appearing to re-dislocate the shoulder he hurt earlier in the year.
Gidley finished with a personal haul of 12 points, converting four tries on five attempts and crossing for a four-pointer of his own to take his career tally to 1,008.
Veteran forward Buderus also left with a flare-up of the Achilles injury which kept him out of City-Country last weekend in yet another blow for New South Wales selectors.
Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett's experiment with Mason ended 35 minutes after the controversial journeyman joined the fray.
The 32-year-old, who made his return in the NSW Cup last weekend and appeared to struggle with match fitness, checked in with around 14 minutes to go in the first half before he left with a hamstring strain with 15 minutes to play.
He made eight tackles, one tackle break, an offload and six runs for 47 metres in a solid return off the bench for the Knights after not having played in the NRL since 2010 for North Queensland.
Mason told Grandstand that it was a big occasion for him to come back to Newcastle, where he played junior football, for his NRL return.
"It couldn't have worked out any better, running on in front of all the boys at Hunter Stadium in front of all these old sort of Newcastle players that put pressure on you," he said.
"I know what sort of school it is up here with ... all the boys that put this jersey on before me, so there's a lot of pressure and a lot of pride in this jersey and I sort of tried to replicate that on the field.
"I couldn't have scripted it better at the end of my career, coming back with a coach like Wayne Bennett, how good the set-up is here now, how professional it is, how good this team is.
"So hopefully in the next couple of years things work out here and I can finish on a high."
Mason admitted his side had some work to do after letting some simple errors taint the second half and let the Panthers back into the contest.
"I think if you're in the sheds now, Wayne won't be very happy," he said.
"He's a clinical coach, he doesn't like mistakes and if we're playing against a top-four side they're going to come back and nearly steal that game.
"We're definitely not going to be be that happy and rapt with that performance, but we'll take the two points and build from there."
The Knights put in their most polished attacking performance of the year and dominated the contest with their left-hand attack of Timana Tahu and James McManus causing headaches all night.
McManus opened the scoring in the sixth minute from a Tahu pass, while the pair combined again to put five-eighth Jarrod Mullen over the tryline 12 minutes later.
Second-rower Zeb Taia scored the Knights' third in the 31st minute when he accepted another Tahu pass to score an easy try out wide.
Penrith has now conceded 94 points in its last three fixtures and scored just 14, and the club remains rooted to 14th place on the ladder with two wins from eight starts, above just Gold Coast (2-6) and Parramatta (1-7).
Rubbing salt into coach Ivan Cleary's wounds, the visitors lost skipper Luke Lewis and try-scorer Michael Jennings to injury, both of which will surely have implications for the Blues State of Origin hopes.
Jennings suffered nerve damage to his neck after landing awkwardly while attempting to score a try and left 20 minutes before full-time.
He was soon joined in the Penrith injury ward when Lewis left the field favouring his left arm which had hampered him throughout the second half.
Penrith ended a drought in the 24th minute when Jennings shrugged off an attempted tackle from Newcastle's Wes Naiqama to cross out wide, their first points in 202 minutes of NRL football.
The visitors did not have to wait quite as long for their next points - with Clint Newton crossing for a double in the second half - but it was never going to be enough for the win with Tahu, Gidley and Neville Costigan crossing early in the second half to put the result beyond doubt.
Newcastle: 34 (J McManus, J Mullen, Z Taia, T Tahu, K Gidley, N Costigan tries; K Gidley 4/5 conversions, W Naiqama 1/1 conversions)
Penrith: 14 (C Newton 2, M Jennings tries; T Burns 1/2 conversions)
ABC/AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300, penrith-2750, nsw, australia First posted April 30, 2012 21:03:21Newcastle winger Akuila Uate scored two tries to help the Knights to a 14-6 victory over Parramatta in a scrappy clash at Hunter Stadium.
The Knights made life difficult for themselves with some poor discipline but they did enough to hold off the last-placed Eels side which was coming off its first win of the season against Manly last week.
"We weren't pretty today but we're just hanging in there," Knights coach Wayne Bennett said.
"Winning today did a lot more for us today than losing."
Five-eighth Jarrod Mullen came up with some big plays for the Knights but none bigger than his 40/20 in the second half which brought his side to life.
On the back of the play in the 54th minute Newcastle sent the ball wide with centre Junior Sa'u throwing a dubious pass for Uate to crash over in the corner.
Young half-back Tyrone Roberts, who replaced injured skipper Kurt Gidley, converted the try from out wide to give the Knights a 14-6 lead.
Newcastle led 8-6 at half-time after a terrible opening 40 minutes with both sides guilty of squandering try-scoring opportunities in front of a big crowd of 24,518.
"We can live with a shabby performance today knowing that it's back on again on Friday against a good team (St George Illawarra) we lost in overtime to last time six weeks ago.
"It will be good to go back down there and go at them again," Bennett said.
Asked where his side was at heading, Bennett said: "My thoughts are that we're three and three after six rounds and we've played the two best teams in the competition at the moment, the Storm and the Broncos."
The Knights opened the scoring with a soft try on six minutes when captain Danny Buderus went for a blindside play finding Sa'u who sucked in two defenders before popping a short ball for unmarked Uate to score out wide.
Roberts stepped up and converted the try and soon after slotted a penalty goal to settle any nerves he might have had to make the score 8-0.
Eels prop Tim Mannah made amends for a couple of terrible play-the-balls that resulted in scrums when he barged over to score from close range in the 35th minute on the back of a penalty against Timana Tahu for a high shot.
But it would be the visitors' only try in a game that struggled to reach any great heights.
Parramatta coach Stephen Kearney appears to be fed up with the inconsistent displays from his expensive half-back Chris Sandow.
The loss keeps Parramatta at the bottom of the table and Kearney was in no mood to give an assessment of South Sydney recruit Sandow's performance.
"Bad time to ask me," Kearney said.
When asked if he was not happy with Sandow's performance he said again: "Bad time to ask me."
The Eels had plenty of chances in the match but for the most part they looked flat in attack aside from the odd decent play from five-eighth Ben Roberts who tried his best to spark the team, particularly in the second half.
"I don't think Wayne (Bennett) would be real happy but he would be happier than me," Kearney said.
"I thought we gave ourselves enough opportunities in that second half on their tryline but we just couldn't come up with that killer blow.
"I don't mind getting beat but I don't like us beating ourselves which I thought we did today."
Captain Nathan Hindmarsh laid the blame elsewhere.
"I think our halves are doing a good job but then it's up to everyone to listen to them I think," he said.
"The halves can only call the plays but then it's up to the boys to get there and today there were a few of us who weren't trying real hard to get there."
Knights: 14 (A Uate 2 tries; T Roberts 2/2 cons, 1/1 pen)
Eels: 6 (T Mannah try; C Sandow 1/1 con)
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, newcastle-2300, nsw, parramatta-2150, australia First posted April 08, 2012 16:53:46Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett has announced his team for next Thursday's season opener against St George Illawarra, with four recruits given starting spots.
Clive Churchill Medal winner Darius Boyd, who followed Bennett from the Dragons in the off-season, has been named at full-back, while returning champion Danny Buderus will start at hooker alongside front row recruits Kade Snowden and Adam Cuthbertson.
As expected, Boyd's inclusion at number one pushes skipper Kurt Gidley into the halves where he will partner former New South Waler representative Jarrod Mullen for the clash at Hunter Stadium.
Lock Neville Costigan says the club is well prepared for the upcoming season after a torrid preseason under Bennett, culminating in a physical trial victory over Cronulla last weekend.
Costigan says Cuthbertson and Snowden impressed Bennett with their performances against the Sharks' pack.
"Kade and Cuthbertson up front went well against them. Wayne was pretty happy as well," he said.
"They've got good size and just their work ethic has been good.
"It was a bit physical against the Sharks. It was certainly a good hit-out before the season starts."
Costigan insists the Knights are yet to set long-term goals for the year, with bookmakers installing them second favourites for the title after Bennett's arrival.
"We haven't really talked about what we want to achieve for the season yet," he said.
"But I think all the boys have goals and that sort of stuff."
Knights fans will be hoping Boyd will have a similar impact in Newcastle as he did in the red and white at the Dragons, with Costigan predicting he will have an instant effect on the likes of wingers Akuila Uate and James McManus.
"His talk has helped us, especially in the trials," he said.
"Last year, hardly any of the boys spoke on the field.
"Because he's getting a bit of a role as a senior player, and he's playing rep footy, he's taught the backs heaps here already."
Knights squad: Darius Boyd, James McManus, Wes Naiqama, Timana Tahu, Akuila Uate, Kurt Gidley, Jarrod Mullen, Kade Snowden, Danny Buderus, Adam Cuthbertson, Chris Houston, Zeb Taia, Neville Costigan
Interchange: Matt Hilder, Richie Fa'aoso, Joel Edwards, Alex McKinnon
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300, wollongong-2500, nsw, australia First posted February 24, 2012 16:27:05Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett continues to pillage his former club St George Illawarra with the Knights signing representative utility Beau Scott on a four-year NRL deal.
Scott - who made his New South Wales Origin and Test debut last season - will reunite with Bennett at Newcastle from 2013, adding to the distinctly red and white hue of the Knights squad.
Bennett took star full-back Darius Boyd, Adam Cuthbertson and rookie Alex McKinnon with him when he headed north at the end of last season, while there are another three ex-Dragons - Neville Costigan, Chris Houston and Wes Naiqama - in the current Newcastle squad.
Bennett leant heavily on Scott's versatility throughout his three years with the Dragons, with the 27-year-old switching between centre and the back row.
"Beau is one of those rare marquee players that ticks all the boxes in our recruitment and retention criteria," Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said in a statement released late Friday.
"Beau's genuine leadership qualities will have a huge influence over the culture we are building not only at the NRL level but throughout the entire club.
"Having players of Beau's character join our club is also a clear indication the Knights new direction is being embraced by players, coaches and officials in the game."
Scott's departure will give the Dragons more room to manoeuvre under the salary cap, having already had some extra funds to work with following Tim Moltzen's decision to renege on a deal and remain with Wests Tigers for 2011.
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, wollongong-2500, nsw, australia, newcastle-2300 First posted March 09, 2012 20:54:29Wayne Bennett has made it clear he wants to deliver on Nathan Tinkler's Newcastle dream, but the seven-time NRL premiership winner refuses to put a time limit on its arrival.
The mining magnate has made it his mission to use a seemingly bottomless bank account to transform the Knights into a force the envy of their rivals ever since assuming ownership of the club.
At the top of Tinkler's wishlist is a third premiership for a club that tasted success in 1997 and 2001.
Speaking after Tuesday's first training session with the Knights, Bennett said he had bought into Tinkler's vision, but warned fans not to expect instant success.
"(Tinkler) has got big dreams, and I like his dreams. I just hope we can get it done for him," Bennett, who signed a four-year deal with the club, said.
"Realistically a premiership may not be forthcoming in the near future.
"More importantly we just want to build something that will provide them with long-term success.
"There's a great opportunity to build something pretty special."
Bennett's arrival at the club has led to some bookmakers installing the Knights as favourites for next year's premiership.
That move no doubt flows on from his immediate success at St George Illawarra, having guided the joint-venture to the minor premiership in his first season there before ending the Dragons' 31-year premiership drought the next.
But Bennett warned it may not be as simple a project at the Knights.
"We've got a plan for here. It won't be in fruition the first 12 months," he said.
"The first 12 months will just be to make us the best footy team we can (be) and not go too quick. Because you can get lost in all that."
Bennett is well accustomed to coping with expectations, and said he had been dealing with them since he was a young man.
That experience will come in handy at Newcastle, with former skipper Paul Harragon saying the sky was the limit for the club's future.
"We want excellence," Harragon said.
"Newcastle's always been a town that's been renowned for battling away. Tough, resilient.
"We want to keep all those things but the sky is the limit. We're not worried about premierships, but we want to be the best."
Meanwhile, Bennett confirmed that Australian representative Darius Boyd, who followed Bennett from the Dragons to Newcastle, would play full-back - forcing captain Kurt Gidley into a playmaking role.
"He can play half-back, five-eighth and hooker," Bennett said of Gidley.
"He's destined for one of those I'd think."
AAP
Tags: sport, nrl, rugby-league, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia First posted November 29, 2011 10:51:51Former Test and NSW hooker Danny Buderus will return to the NRL next season to see out his playing career with former club Newcastle.
Both Buderus and the Knights confirmed on Saturday the 33-year-old had secured a release from the final year of his contract with Super League club Leeds and would link up with incoming Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett on a one-year deal.
Buderus made the announcement after helping the Rhinos to a 26-24 victory over Warrington to book a berth in next weekend's grand final, ensuring his Super League career will end in style.
"It's been going on for a while behind closed doors and I've got to give thanks to the Rhinos for their patience and for allowing me to finish off my career at my hometown club," said Buderus, in his third season at the club.
"They've wished me well which is great.
"To go home with an appearance (in the grand final) at Old Trafford is a dream script.
"But we want to go there and win it.
"We've got some momentum and that makes us a dangerous team.
"I've enjoyed everything about the Rhinos and my English experience and to finish on this note will put me in good stead for the next couple of years of my career."
Leeds will face either St Helens or Wigan in the competition decider.
Buderus played 221 first grade games for the Knights and was part of their premiership-winning side in 2001.
Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said the club was delighted to welcome back one of its favourite sons.
"It is fantastic news that Danny will play his final year with the Newcastle Knights," said Gidley, a former team-mate of Buderus.
"I'm sure every Knights member and fan, and even supporters of other NRL clubs, will be happy to hear we have been able to work through this with Leeds and bring him home.
"Danny was always a popular member of the team, not just for his on-field brilliance but for the person he is off the field."
AAP
Tags: sport, nrl, rugby-league, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia First posted October 01, 2011 09:09:02Newcastle will kickstart the Wayne Bennett era against his former club St George Illawarra in a blockbuster opening to the 2012 NRL season which also features a grand final rematch.
Premier Manly will travel across the ditch on the opening weekend to take on the Warriors at what is sure to be a hostile Eden Park, while arch-rivals South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters also do battle in round one.
"They're starting the season with a new coach and he'll be looking to set the tone for the Warriors in 2012," Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler said of the Warriors clash.
The opening round has been brought forward a week to accommodate a representative weekend in late April, with the Knights hosting the Dragons in the first game of the season in Newcastle on Thursday, March 1.
"We see the 2012 NRL draw as a major compliment to the Knights," chief executive Matthew Gidley said.
"To open the NRL season, to back it up a fortnight later against the Broncos, host Parramatta over the Easter weekend, to play Manly in rivalry round and then play the Rabbitohs for the final round of the season for Old Boys Round, provides us with an exceptional amount of exciting games at Ausgrid Stadium."
Emotions are sure to be running high when Manly takes on Canterbury in round eight, the rivalry having intensified following Hasler's decision to flee Brookvale for Belmore in 2013 along with a good chunk of his coaching staff, including highly respected recruitment guru Noel Cleal.
Dragons will not have to wait long to vent their frustrations at Tim Moltzen, the Tigers full-back who reneged on a deal to join the joint-venture club for next season.
Moltzen will have to face the music when the Dragons host Tim Sheens' Tigers in round three.
Star Cronulla recruit Todd Carney will have to wait until round 18 to exact revenge on his former team, the Sydney Roosters, who sacked him after a string of alcohol-related breaches.
It is a different story for two of Carney's team-mates, with former Wests duo Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita given a round one match up with the Tigers to think about over summer.
Brisbane will enter life without club champion Darren Lockyer with a first round hit-out against Parramatta, which will be showing off new recruit Chris Sandow.
Anzac Day will again be a huge feature of the NRL calendar, with two matches taking place.
The Roosters and the Dragons will go head-to-head in Sydney while Melbourne will host the Warriors.
Manly fans will have to wait until round six to welcome their grand final heroes back to Brookvale as the ground undergoes a minor upgrade to the main grandstand.
Meanwhile, in a change to previous years, there will be a bye week for the entire competition between rounds seven and eight for representative purposes.
This will cover the mid-year Test between Australia and New Zealand, the City-Country clash and the first ever State of Origin match for Toyota Cup players.
The NRL has also extended rivalry round to two weeks to give all teams an opportunity to host a match.
"This has been a very different draw process and one that ensures the best opportunity for clubs to promote their marquee games," NRL director of football operations Nathan McGuirk said.
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300, wollongong-2500, nsw, australia First posted November 05, 2011 20:39:19The North Queensland centre has been sidelined since injuring his shoulder in the State of Origin series opener in Brisbane in late May, but he was finally named on Tuesday in the Cowboys squad to face the Knights in Newcastle on Monday night.
However, club officials now rate Tonga as "doubtful" to face the Knights after he collided with Brent Tate in training, but say the injury is not serious and should allow him to face Wests Tigers the following week.
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, townsville-4810