One team. One town.
One heart beat.
Footy has been a big part of life in Newcastle for more than 100 years. With clubs founded from the coalfields to the coast with fans far and wide, it’s a game built on hard work and grit.
It doesn’t matter your age, or what job you do – everyone has one thing in common. They all love footy and they all love the Newcastle Knights.
Fans and the footy.
That’s the beating Heart of the Hunter.
And a new content series from NSW Mining explores the origins of the game in Newcastle and brings together current players, legends and lifelong fans to share their connection with the Newcastle Knights and what makes the game so special.
Our history.
Our heritage.
Our history.
Our heritage.
Newcastle enters a team into the inaugural NSWRL competition.
Newcastle Rugby League breaks away from NSWRL to form a local competition.
Teams emerge from the Hunter Valley’s coalfields, like the Cessnock Goannas.
The Newcastle Knights are admitted into the NSWRL competition.
2001
The Newcastle Knights win the Premiership twice in five years.
NSW Mining becomes an official sponsor of the Newcastle Knights, with the first hi-vis mining jersey matches in 2014 to represent tens of thousands of people working in the industry.
The Newcastle Knights join the NRLW competition with NSW Mining as a foundation partner of the women’s team.
Back to back premierships for the women’s team, led by Dally M player of the year Tamika Upton.
At the 12th Voice for Mining Family Day, both men’s and women’s teams triumph in front of a sold-out crowd in Newcastle.
Kalyn Ponga, club captain
“They want everything that this town’s built on. Grit, toughness, turning up for your mate, tough people making tough choices. When we’re playing our best, we’re showing those qualities and that’s what the town’s built on and that’s what they want.”
Shaun Lazenby, podcast host and mega-fan
“You’ll never truly be able to explain in words the meaning of the Newcastle Knights, especially to me personally. It’s something that I fell in love with as a child and I don’t think I’ll ever stop. And it must be really really special for a miner to see their favourite player run out in essentially their work wear.”
Jesse Southwell, NRLW halfback
“Going back through the years, you won’t ever see a Knights team member that didn’t show up for each other. You don’t want to let the player next to you down and that’s what we’ve got here written on the walls: be the player that other players want to play with.”
Blaine Renfrey, mega-fan and coal miner
“It is a proud moment to actually see what people in the coal industry wear and we can incorporate it into what we love and that is rugby league.”
NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said the connection between coal mining and rugby league runs deep in the Hunter.
“Like the Hunter region, this football club is built on hard work. And just like footy players, our miners show up for each other every day too,” he said.
“Clubs in the coalfields like Cessnock and Kurri Kurri started from mining communities and there are many more that still have a close connection to our people and our industry.
“That’s why this partnership remains so relevant. When the Newcastle Knights wear the mining jersey, they’re representing a big part of the community, and players with roots in the industry that have come before them.
“So we can’t wait to cheer on the women’s and men’s teams at Voice for Mining Family Day, when footy fans and mining families get together to celebrate the great game of rugby league and all the good things mining brings to NSW.”
Newcastle Knights CEO Philip Gardner says Heart of the Hunter captures the deep and long-standing connection between mining, rugby league and the Newcastle Knights.
“The NSW mining industry continues to be a driver of our state and regional economies and enriches the lives of people across our region,” he said.
“We thank NSW Mining for their continued support. Our team will wear the hi-vis mining jersey with pride on Voice for Mining Family Day.”
A special thanks to NBN for the historical footage of the Newcastle Knights.