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When this year\u2019s NRLW season started, the Knights had lost 10 players from their 2022 premiership winning team.<\/p>\n
With the competition expanding to 10 teams in 2023, players scattered across eastern Australia as bigger pay packets, permanent roster spots and leadership opportunities enticed them to new clubs.<\/p>\n
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Knights stars Tamika Upton, Hannah Southwell, Yasmin Clydsdale, Jesse Southwell and Georgia Roche.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Chris Elfes<\/cite><\/p>\n Clubs were used to a high turnover of players, after all, multi-year contracts weren\u2019t available until 2023. <\/p>\n But when the opportunity to sign NRLW players long-term became available, Newcastle handed five-year deals to four of their best \u2013 Tamika Upton, Georgia Roche, Jesse Southwell and Hannah Southwell \u2013 the only club to do so besides the Roosters, who signed former Knights captain Millie Boyle on a potential five-year deal.<\/p>\n Now, Newcastle are marching into their second straight grand final after beating the Broncos in the semi-final in front of a home crowd of 12,689 people and claiming the minor premiership \u2013 the first in the club\u2019s history. For Knights\u2019 coach Ronald Griffiths, locking down players was a no-brainer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we\u2019re talking about not having high turnover, well, it creates some stability for the club,\u201d Griffiths said. \u201cAny sporting organisation that wants long-term success, the less they turn over. If they\u2019ve got the right people and the right systems, they have the potential to be stronger over time. That\u2019s what we were looking for as an organisation.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse and Hannah Southwell are Newcastle born and bred and could be at the club until 2027.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Louise Kennerley<\/cite><\/p>\n One of the most important cogs in the Newcastle system is the Southwell sisters. Local juniors and home-grown talent, Hannah and Jesse are a massive draw for fans and players, and a testament to how important pathways are at a club, said Griffiths.<\/p>\n \u201cThe club was always strong in our grassroots in Newcastle, but I\u2019d like to think over the last 18 months we\u2019ve been working on a wider strategic approach to make sure of the long-term viability of the club to develop people from our own area,\u201d Griffiths said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe long-term vision is then enticing for the players to be here. The women\u2019s game will evolve really quickly. Some of the girls right now will be able to play under-7s through to NRLW. So, you\u2019ve got to make sure you\u2019ve got the right development systems in place to capitalise on that growth.\u201d<\/p>\n It hasn\u2019t always been smooth sailing for Newcastle, says Jesse. In their first year the team lost every game and ran last in the competition, but the turnaround has been enormous.<\/p>\n \u201cThe year before last, we were dead last,\u201d she said. \u201cThe growth from the first season we were involved to the second season was insane. And then the growth from last season to this season is just incredible.<\/p>\n \u201cThe way that the town has gotten around us is completely different to last year, but it still has that heartfelt [feeling], and I don\u2019t think that will ever go away from Newcastle.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite losing crucial players this year, Jesse said the team always believed they could have a strong season.<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t really stressed when 10 girls left because I knew we had the right girls here,\u201d she said. \u201cThe right girls with the right attitude, and those girls that are here, and they want to be here, they want to do it for this town, and they want to do it for each other.<\/p>\n The Knights celebrate after winning their semi-final against the Broncos.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we saw how good those girls are that did leave, but to see the way our team has grouped together, it just goes to show that a team will beat individuals any day of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n One person who won\u2019t be surprised by Newcastle\u2019s success would be former skipper Boyle, who forecast their dominance before the season started.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say the team to beat is the Knights because they won the premiership last year, and they\u2019ve got a big core group of their squad still together, a lot of great players, and they\u2019ve got a great coach under Ronnie Griffiths,\u201d Boyle told this masthead.<\/p>\n Newcastle fullback Tamika Upton was named Dally M player of the year and the team has only lost one game this year. On Sunday, they line up against Karyn Murphy\u2019s Titans after the Gold Coast toppled premiership favourites the Roosters last weekend.<\/p>\n If the Knights want to become the first Newcastle team to win back-to-back premierships, Jesse said they need to get the simple things right.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to have a great defensive side to beat any side,\u201d she said. \u201cDefence wins games, and especially grand finals. You just want to keep the foot on the throat. As obvious as it is, that\u2019s what you need to do, and what you have to do especially in grand finals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had lapses in concentration all year, so I think it\u2019s super important that in the grand final we don\u2019t have those lapses. Just making sure everyone knows, and it\u2019s clear on the field, that no matter what happens, we have to keep going. The Gold Coast are a great side, so we have to do whatever we need to make sure we keep the momentum going.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch the NRLW grand final exclusive, live and free on Channel 9 and <\/i><\/b>9Now<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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