Newcastle Knights

The Newcastle Knights were founded in 1988 and joined the NSWRL competition that year, giving the Hunter Valley its first top-flight rugby league club. The region had a deep rugby league culture — the Hunter Valley coalfields had produced rugby league players for generations — and the Knights quickly built a passionate and loyal fanbase. Under coach Malcolm Reilly and later Michael Hagan, the Knights developed into one of the competition's most competitive sides.

Their greatest moment came in 1997 when, led by the extraordinary Andrew Johns, the Knights defeated Manly in the grand final to claim their first premiership. Johns — widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time — was the heartbeat of the Knights for over a decade, and the club won a second title in 2001. The Knights have faced significant challenges since Johns' retirement, including devastating floods that affected the region in 2007, but have remained a vital part of the NRL and a club that the Hunter Valley community rallies around with extraordinary passion.

Blue and red — the Knights' colours reflect the working-class identity of the Hunter Valley and give the club a bold, distinctive look in the NRL. The combination has been the club's signature since their foundation in 1988 and connects the modern club to the coal mining and industrial heritage of the region. It is a kit worn with the pride of a community that has supported the Knights through every chapter of their history.

The Knights' home kit is worn at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle — a ground that generates one of the most passionate atmospheres in the NRL and has been the scene of some of the most memorable moments in the club's history. The Hunter Valley's love of rugby league is reflected in the noise and colour that fills the stadium on match days, and the blue and red of the Knights is worn with the determination of a club that knows it represents something bigger than sport.