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Live sport on SN this weekendSandpaper the secret ingredient to Knights' NRL revival
Scott Bailey & George Clarke, AAP •  September 25th, 2026 2:30 pm
Newcastle head coach Justin Holbrook made the Knights go down a mine to make a point to his players | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
After claiming last year's NRL wooden spoon, Newcastle had to go down once again before they could go up.
The Knights were taken a touch over 100m down to be precise, right into the Myuna Colliery, at the request of coach Justin Holbrook.
Holbrook spent two seasons in Newcastle as a player, but wanted his squad to feel what life was like for those who parted with their hard-earned money each week to watch the Knights win or lose in rain, hail or shine.
"We've always spoken about representing the people in our community, but without fully understanding what that looks like," said captain Kalyn Ponga.
"I think going down the mines was just a small dose of understanding who we represent, what they do, what their lives look like, what ours look like in comparison and the impact that we can have.
"They're under there for 12 hours, they come out and see that we've won, it's obviously going to put a smile on their face."
For Knights tragics the period since their last preliminary final in 2013 have been tough digging.
Newcastle fans have had to live through four wooden spoons in the time since, which perhaps explains why Holbrook's men felt the adulation of their surge up the ladder, long before Sunday's preliminary final with Penrith at Accor Stadium.
"That (mine visit) flicked a switch in us to be grateful for what we get to do," said second-rower Jermaine McEwen, one of the success stories of Holbrook's Knights revival.
Jermaine McEwen says a trip down the mine 'flicked a switch' in the Knights | Photo: Darren Pateman/AAP
"The way people look at us when we win, the people are happy and the town's happy and we want to start everyone's week off with a win."
Newcastle is certainly a happy place to be right now after the Knights knocked off South Sydney and upset the Warriors in Auckland last weekend.
More than 1500 fans decked out in red and blue skipped school or ducked out of work for a couple of hours on Wednesday to watch an open training session.
"There have been some good times here where the crowd showed up, and there have been some poor times where they've still continued to show up," said chief executive Peter Parr.
"That's not lost on us and now the players are repaying that faith."
Newcastle is expected to turn out on Saturday to give the Knights a fitting send-off before they begin their trip south.
It was on one of their many bus trips this year that hooker Phoenix Crossland believes the bond behind the Knights rise was forged.
Crossland remembers earlier in the year - after Holbrook's staff put them through their paces at a camp in Coffs Harbour - the Knights took a detour to the Nabiac Hotel.
The pub is the local watering hole of lock Mat Croker's family.
Over a few beers, forward Thomas Cant stepped forward and told every member of the Knights squad and staff to back a horse he has a share in by the name of Sandpaper.
"It ended up losing by a nose but the noise the team was making in the pub watching one horse race … it doesn't sound significant but I think that brought everyone together," said Crossland.
The unity can in part explain how the Knights climbed from the bottom of the ladder to seventh and into a preliminary final, all while without first choice front-rowers Trey Mooney and Jacob Saifiti as well as halfback Dylan Brown.
"Everyone's always been proud of us," Crossland said.
Knights supporters celebrate the win over South Sydney in the elimination final | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
"I guess they're a bit more excited now because you know we're on the big stage in a prelim against the best team in the last five years or so … the M1 will be pumping."
Few would have predicted 12 months ago Newcastle would be alive this late in the season.
On Sunday they have the chance to reach their first grand final in 25 years.
After their accomplishments so far this season, what's to stop them?
"There's a lot of belief," said McEwen. "We trust in our work and we want to keep proving people wrong."
