Eels captain Nathan Cayless recalls that his side was completely blown away in the opening 40 minutes. Gidley, a local Newcastle product, wore the red and blue on 221 occasions and was a key member of the Knights’ Grand Final winning team in 2001. able to replicate the 2001 grand final appearance in the following year. Available Formats. Choose one to start playing: Take Quiz: Single Page The skillful, mobile prop became the Club’s first Australian Test representative when he toured with the 1990 Kangaroos, then in 1992 returned to England at the end of the season with Australia’s triumphant World Cup squad. Tahu will return to play for the Knights next year and Buderus is at short odds to join him. ‘‘It was a dream come true to represent your state and your country, but to win a comp with the players you play all year with, and to captain the only team you ever wanted to play for to a premiership, it doesn’t get any better than that. ‘‘It was a business but it was fun, and that’s the way we played,’’ Johns said. The grand final week is here and going back to 2001 when the Knights were playing against a powerhouse Eels side who only lost 3 … He guided the Knights to a Grand Final victory in his first season in charge and was at the helm of the Club for 154 matches between 2001 and 2006. However this was followed by a National Rugby League Premiership victory over the Parramatta Eels in 2001, with Andrew Johns winning the Clive Churchill Medal. We didn’t change too much and just looked at it as if it were another game of football. Sorry but this browser is no longer supported. Overcoming a series of injuries early in his career, the flint-hard front-rower went on to partner prop Paul Harragon in the team’s famous ARL grand final victory over Manly in 1997, and represented NSW and City Origin while wearing blue and red.
We'd had a good, and just wanted to stick to what we had done, and what worked for us so well. Johns described the 2001 season as ‘‘one of the most enjoyable years I ever played’’. The Hall of Fame selection committee will nominate up to two inductees each year. Hagan said the Knights stuck to their regular weekly routine but the Eels, coached by Brian Smith, headed for the south coast for a midweek camp and ‘‘looked pretty uptight’’. All Hall of Fame members have made immeasurable contributions to the Newcastle Knights Rugby League Club in their roles as players, coaches and/or administrators. Recollections of a champion: Knights prop Josh Perry was only 20 at the time says the moment of winning for his hometown club was just "surreal". Foundation coaching director at the Knights alongside inaugural coach Allan McMahon, and his successor David Waite. McMahon was the Knights’ coach during their inaugural season in 1988 was in charge of the Club for 83 games. 2001 Knights vs Parramatta Grand final. Brett Hodgson scored Parramatta's first try in the early stages of the second half, but that joy was short lived as Timana Tahu crossed in the 63rd minute for his side's fifth try of the night. Blackburn won just four of their first 14 league games, a run which also included seven draws and three defeats. To be eligible for nomination players and coaches must be retired. The key objectives of the Hall of Fame were to acknowledge former greats of the Club and their contribution to the Knights both on and of the field in a region so rich in rugby league culture.
Gidley, a local Newcastle product, wore the red and blue on 221 occasions and was a key member of the Knights’ Grand Final winning team in 2001. Former assistant coach to Warren Ryan at Newtown and long-time confidant of four-time premiership-winning Wests Tigers and former Canberra Raiders coach Tim Sheens.
Knights players celebrate their 2001 grand final win. Enter Steve Simpson with a superb one-on-one tackle that prevented Ryan from touching down. Microsoft Edge Parra were shitting themselves and we were having a good time,’’ Kennedy said. Centre and master of ceremonies Mark Hughes remembered how ‘‘nervous and stiff’’ the Parramatta players looked at the grand final breakfast in their ‘‘Miami Vice black suits’’.