Knights football director Peter Parr reckons it's a "real coup" that Newcastle's NRL and NRLW sides have both been awarded standalone Thursday night games to open their 2024 campaigns.
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As revealed in the two competition's draws yesterday, Newcastle's teams will begin their respective seasons with fixtures at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The men take on Canberra Raiders on Thursday, March 7, while the women play the Sydney Roosters later in the year when their season kicks off on Thursday, July 25.
The Knights rarely play on a Thursday and it isn't the most fan-friendly match day or time slot to pull a crowd, but Parr sees positives in the allocations, particularly the men's game which comes after the Las Vegas double-header the week prior.
"We actually kick off the season in Australia, I think that's great for the club," Parr told the Newcastle Herald.
"As is the fact that we also kick off the season for the NRLW in a standalone Thursday night game.
"For the club, I think that's a real coup.
"And we've doubled the amount of free-to-air tv games we're on, that's gone from six to 12 in the NRL.
"I think that's a reflection of where the club is currently at. We've made a lot of progression in the last 12 months and I think that's been recognised by the NRL and broadcasters."
![Newcastle's NRL and NRLW sides will start their 2024 seasons on a Thursday night. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Newcastle's NRL and NRLW sides will start their 2024 seasons on a Thursday night. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/805853f1-011c-4b78-9ed3-b176865c1d94.jpg/r0_0_5184_3456_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
As they strive to improve on this year's fifth-placed finish, the NRL side will twice take on three-time reigning premiers Penrith, one of seven clubs they play home-and-away fixtures against.
The others are the Storm, Dolphins, Warriors, Raiders, Tigers and Titans.
Newcastle will play 12 games at McDonald Jones Stadium in total.
Four of their first six matches are at home, but they also make early trips to Townsville (round two) and Auckland (round four).
"It's good to get some games early at home, but we have two pretty tough road trips in that period," Parr said. "There's plenty of ways you can look at that .... two tough travel games early on, but at least you get them out of the way early.
"It's better to play the Warriors early in the year if you're going to play them away from home, before the weather sets in."
Newcastle's round-three clash with Melbourne will come a month after they meet in a trial, likely in Fiji.
The Knights return to Magic Round after a year absence, taking on the Titans on Saturday, May 18.
A week earlier they face the Tigers in Tamworth.
Newcastle's last game of the regular season is at home, against the Dolphins who they also meet in round eight at Suncorp Stadium.
They face traditional rivals Manly at Brookvale in round 19.
Newcastle's spread of home fixtures means they are never on the road for more than two consecutive games.
They have two Friday games and two Thursday games. The rest are on Saturdays and Sundays.
Their shortest turnaround is between rounds four and five, when they play the Warriors in New Zealand on a Sunday before the Dragons in Newcastle the following Friday.
Knights 2024 NRLW draw
Round 1: Knights v Roosters (McDonald Jones Stadium - 7.45pm, Thursday July 25)
Round 2: Raiders v Knights (GIO Stadium - 11.05am, Sunday August 4)
Round 3: Knights v Dragons (McDonald Jones Stadium - 6.10pm, Sunday August 11)
Round 4: Sharks v Knights (PointsBet Stadium - 1.45pm, Sunday August 18)
Round 5: Eels v Knights (Eric Tweedale Stadium - 11.05am, Saturday August 24)
Round 6: Knights v Tigers (McDonald Jones Stadium - 12pm, Sunday September 1)
Round 7: Knights v Broncos (McDonald Jones Stadium - 6.10pm, Sunday September 8)
Round 8: Titans v Knights (Cbus Super Stadium - 1.45pmn, Saturday September 14)
Round 9: Cowboys v Knights (Queensland Country Bank Stadium - 3.15pm, Saturday September 21)