Newcastle forward Mat Croker, who grew up in Nabiac, reckons the Knights are the most well supported team along the state's North Coast until about Kempsey.
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The further north you go from there, the Gold Coast Titans slowly emerge as the main NRL team of choice.
So with the Knights playing in Coffs Harbour on Saturday, against Cronulla who have taken a game to the North Coast town annually for the past two seasons, Croker has no doubt there will be scores of Newcastle supporters in attendance.
But could the sold-out Indigenous Round fixture actually feel like a home game, given Coffs Harbour is only 80 minutes drive north of the suggested Knights-Titans divide of Kempsey?
"I think so, I reckon the Knights dominate the North Coast in supporters," Croker said on Tuesday.
"It's also Lachie Miller's hometown, so I'm pretty sure he has a fair few people turning up. At least we'll have them cheering for us.
"A little bit further north people start following the Gold Coast, it's sort of an in-between area there.
"All around Taree and Port [Macquarie] where I'm from, they all support the Knights."
Newcastle have never played a regular-season match in Coffs Harbour. They played a pre-season fixture there in 1995.
The Sharks beat the Gold Coast in the two matches they've recently taken to the ground, which has a capacity of about 10,000, claiming an 18-10 win last year and 38-10 victory the year prior.
The Knights have named the same 17 players from Sunday's 46-26 win over the Titans to face the Sharks, but made some minor changes.
Jack Hetherington, who started at lock against the Titans but only played 23 minutes, has been named to start in the front row. Leo Thompson starts at lock.
Croker, who was named at lock last week but started off the bench, is set to resume the replacement role.
He has played in Newcastle's past eight matches, after missing the opening two games this season, along with the two pre-season trials, due to a suspension overhanging from last year.
The 23-year-old, who has made 26 NRL appearances, has likely benefited from Adam Elliott's extended injury layoff but said it was his goal coming into this season to cement a spot in the side.
"I'm happy with it," Croker said of his form this year.
"I've had to play different roles; I started coming off the bench and then I had to start in lock. Sometimes you move from lock to front row and your role changes a bit, so you've got to adapt to that.
"But I'm happy with it. A few more wins would make me more happy for sure."
The Sharks, winners in four of their past five games, have lost utility Cam McInnes to a broken hand and did not name centre Siosifa Talakai, who missed the team's 20-14 win over Manly on Sunday.
Prop Oregon Kaufusi was also out injured, but has been named to return.
The third-placed side will be out to shore up their spot in the top four before a bye next week. The Knights sit 11th, a point behind the eight-placed Warriors.
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