Newcastle Knights in Australia reach NRL preliminary final — ABC News Australia

Australian club Newcastle Knights will play in an NRL preliminary final for the first time in 13 years. The team, which finished last in the championship last season, will face the Penrith Panthers this weekend for a place in the final.

As ABC News Australia reports, the club's current success is linked to an emphasis on local graduates and the team's connection with the Hunter region. This approach was described as early as 1987 by the Knights' first coach, Allan McMahon, ahead of the club's debut: he advocated recruiting young promising players from the local rugby school.

Crossland's contribution

One of Newcastle's key players this season has been 26-year-old Phoenix Crossland, who started at Erina Eagles, progressed through the Knights' development system and made his top-level debut in 2019. This year, he played 23 matches and made 1,055 tackles — the most of any NRL player — with a 93% efficiency rate. He also has four 40/20 kicks, three tries and 1,835 received passes to his name.

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At the start of the season, head coach Justin Holbrook tasked Crossland with being the best in the league in defence, tackling and teamwork. The player himself said that it is important for him and his teammates to focus on the opportunity to achieve something special for the club and its fans.

A bet on the region

Football director Chris James said the team has developed confidence in its ability to overcome difficult situations and not fear opponents. According to him, after the victory in New Zealand, the players immediately set themselves the goal of competing for the championship.

Half of Newcastle's extended 22-player squad were born after the club's 2001 grand final victory. Among the young local players, the publication names Fletcher Sharpe from Cessnock, as well as Cody Hopwood, Lachlan Crouch and Tom Cant. After arriving at the end of the 2025 season, Holbrook also said he intended to strengthen ties with regional development clubs. During pre-season training, he organized a descent into one of the Hunter region's coal mines for the team to show players the daily work of many of the club's fans.