IT will be business as usual for the Knights when they travel to Parramatta Stadium on Sunday for the NSW Cup grand final against Wyong.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
There was some consideration given to heading to Sydney on Saturday and booking into a hotel overnight, but coach Matt Lantry said the Knights would travel on game day and stick to the routine that has worked for them during the finals.
It has proven effective in the first three weeks of the finals as the Knights thrashed Manly 45-6 at Belmore, pounded Penrith 44-12 at Kogarah and pipped Mounties 30-26 at Leichhardt.
Lantry said they would train at Newcastle University on Thursday afternoon, have Friday off, then hold a 9.30am ballwork session at Mayfield on Saturday.
The game is scheduled for a 4pm kick-off on Sunday, and the Knights will leave Mayfield at 11.30am.
"We won't change anything in the way of our schedule. That will remain the same, so we're not going to travel down the night before," Lantry said.
"Why change things that have worked for you for the majority of the year, so we'll go down on the day of the game and see how we go."
■ There won't be a convoy of coaches snaking their way down the F3, as was the case for the ARL and NRL grand finals in 1997 and 2001, but Sid Fogg's will run a supporters' bus for Knights fans keen to cheer on their team in the NSW Cup decider at Parramatta on Sunday.
Return tickets are $40 each and available by calling Sid Fogg's on 4928 1088.
■ The Knights have reaped the rewards of including NRL players such as Clint Newton, Jake Mamo and Danny Levi for their NSW Cup finals charge, but coach Matt Lantry has paid tribute to two of the team's unsung heroes.
"The part-timers there at the moment have really earned their stripes, and Kerrod Holland and Tama Koopu are the shining lights for the guys in the part-time group," Lantry said.
"They're the guys who work their Monday-to-Friday day job, generally through until four or five in the afternoon, then jump into the gym and train.
"Now they're going to play in a NSW Cup grand final, which is a wonderful achievement and will be a wonderful experience for them."
■ The sight of new Knights coach Nathan Brown talking to former Wests Tigers mentor Mick Potter at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday set tongues wagging.
Was it just a case of two mates having a chat at the footy, or is Brown considering Potter for a position on his coaching staff next season?
When asked about the possibility of the latter, Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said the club had not held discussions with Potter.
Brown and Potter were teammates at St George in 1993, which was Brown's rookie year and Potter's last at the Dragons. Potter captained the team beaten 14-6 by Brisbane in the grand final and Brown came off the bench.
■ The 20th anniversary of Newcastle's first senior premiership will be celebrated when the 1995 reserve-grade grand final squad are guests of honour at the Once-A-Knight Old Boys' grand final lunch at Wests New Lambton on Friday, October 2.
Brothers Brett and Craig Kimmorley, 1997 grand final hero Darren Albert and Knights chief executive Matt Gidley, who were all members of that squad, and coach Peter Sharp are confirmed starters for the lunch, which kicks off at noon.
Tickets are available by contacting Old Boys treasurer John Duncan on 0414 793 172.
New Knights coach Nathan Brown could be a late starter, depending on whether Melbourne are involved in the NRL grand final. Brown is a consultant to Storm coach Craig Bellamy and will be busy with that job if Melbourne get past North Queensland on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Knights' presentation night will be at Wests New Lambton on October 9.
■ Hunter-Grafton representatives Baryulgil were runners-up at the Kids in Care Cup tournament in Wollongong on Saturday to celebrate Foster Care Week.
Dalai Dreamers, from Kempsey, won the final 22-4. It was the second straight year Baryulgil finished second in the state-wide knockout featuring 24 Aboriginal teams and played in front of 3000 spectators.
Event manager Barry Lenihan said the Kids in Care Cup created awareness for foster care.
■ Former Knights forward Adam Cuthbertson has been a smash hit in his first year at Leeds. Polling 41.6 per cent of the vote, Cuthbertson won the fans' player of the year award at the Rhinos' presentation this week.
■ The Dragons have signed former Warriors utility forward Sebastine Ikahihifo to a two-year deal, killing off any suggestion he was in Newcastle's cross-hairs.
The Knights are in the market for a "middle" forward, and there was speculation Ikahihifo was on their short list when he and his manager, Gavin Orr, were spotted talking to Carlos Tuimavave and former coach Rick Stone outside the Newcastle dressing-room after a 30-28 loss to Cronulla at Hunter Stadium on June 21.
