Newcastle man to finish run from Melbourne as NRL clubs, ex-players offer support

The Advertiser

27-06-2025

Andrew Johns, Bryan Fletcher, Wendell Sailor, even popular Sydney newsreader Peter Overton.
It's been a who's who of identities wishing Novocastrian Scott Hingston well on his run from Melbourne to Newcastle over the past fortnight.
A Merewether-based personal trainer, Hingston embarked on the 1100-kilometre journey on Sunday, June 15.
The 42-year-old, of Adamstown, departed Melbourne Storm's home ground of AAMI Park and traversed regional Victoria and NSW before heading into Sydney in recent days.
He will make the trip's final leg from Caves Beach to Merewether on Friday, before completing a celebratory lap of McDonald Jones Stadium at the Knights' match against the Raiders that night.
"It's been tough," Hingston told the Newcastle Herald on Thursday.
"I conditioned myself really well ... but it's been really tough sleeping at night. I've probably been averaging four-and-a-half hours sleep because my legs are just so sore.
"But in terms of getting through the actual runs each day ... Every day has been different.
"I had a really good day today, but there were certain days it was really hard. My body doesn't feel too bad, but my feet are pretty busted up.
"It could have been a lot worse, put it that way."
Hingston has captured plenty of attention on his run, appearing in several television news reports and on social media.
Some big names have offered video messages of support along the way.
With former Storm and Knights player Kirk Reynoldson among Hingston's support crew, sponsoring the journey via his mobile app business Eggy, the likes of Johns, Paul Harragon, Brad Fittler and more have chimed in with words of encouragement.
"For them to give me video messages, it's unbelievable," Hingston said. "You've got no idea how much it lifts you when you hear stuff like that."
The videos have been keeping Hingston motivated, but his efforts have been inspiring plenty of others. And the financial support has flowed as well.
Hingston was on track to hit his goal of raising more than $100,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
A die-hard Bulldogs supporter, he got to drop into Belmore for Canterbury's captain run on Wednesday, where the Bulldogs made a $10,000 donation.
Hingston said the toughest part of the trip was running through a wet and windy Lithgow, while there were some roads coming out of Melbourne that proved too narrow to run on.
He received a warm welcome in the country towns he stopped at, and singled out Junee's Red Cow Hotel for the best reception. Having not had a beer since January, he is now looking forward to a cold one on Friday night.
Hingston, who two years ago raised $25,000 for the Hunter Valley bus crash appeal, will make up some lost kilometres running around Caves Beach on Friday morning before heading into Newcastle about midday.
The Merewether Greens rugby trainer will be joined by a few of the club's juniors after school finishes for a final short leg to Blue Door Kiosk at Merewether beach, where the cafe will put on a party between 3.30pm and 5pm.
"Anything that gets purchased from Blue Door in that time goes towards the foundation," Hingston said.
He will then join Hughes at the Knights game for an on-field acknowledgement.
Donations towards Hingston's campaign can be made via the Mark Hughes Foundation website.
Andrew Johns, Bryan Fletcher, Wendell Sailor, even popular Sydney newsreader Peter Overton.
It's been a who's who of identities wishing Novocastrian Scott Hingston well on his run from Melbourne to Newcastle over the past fortnight.
A Merewether-based personal trainer, Hingston embarked on the 1100-kilometre journey on Sunday, June 15.
The 42-year-old, of Adamstown, departed Melbourne Storm's home ground of AAMI Park and traversed regional Victoria and NSW before heading into Sydney in recent days.
He will make the trip's final leg from Caves Beach to Merewether on Friday, before completing a celebratory lap of McDonald Jones Stadium at the Knights' match against the Raiders that night.
"It's been tough," Hingston told the Newcastle Herald on Thursday.
"I conditioned myself really well ... but it's been really tough sleeping at night. I've probably been averaging four-and-a-half hours sleep because my legs are just so sore.
"But in terms of getting through the actual runs each day ... Every day has been different.
"I had a really good day today, but there were certain days it was really hard. My body doesn't feel too bad, but my feet are pretty busted up.
"It could have been a lot worse, put it that way."
Hingston has captured plenty of attention on his run, appearing in several television news reports and on social media.
Some big names have offered video messages of support along the way.
With former Storm and Knights player Kirk Reynoldson among Hingston's support crew, sponsoring the journey via his mobile app business Eggy, the likes of Johns, Paul Harragon, Brad Fittler and more have chimed in with words of encouragement.
"For them to give me video messages, it's unbelievable," Hingston said. "You've got no idea how much it lifts you when you hear stuff like that."
The videos have been keeping Hingston motivated, but his efforts have been inspiring plenty of others. And the financial support has flowed as well.
Hingston was on track to hit his goal of raising more than $100,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
A die-hard Bulldogs supporter, he got to drop into Belmore for Canterbury's captain run on Wednesday, where the Bulldogs made a $10,000 donation.
Hingston said the toughest part of the trip was running through a wet and windy Lithgow, while there were some roads coming out of Melbourne that proved too narrow to run on.
He received a warm welcome in the country towns he stopped at, and singled out Junee's Red Cow Hotel for the best reception. Having not had a beer since January, he is now looking forward to a cold one on Friday night.
Hingston, who two years ago raised $25,000 for the Hunter Valley bus crash appeal, will make up some lost kilometres running around Caves Beach on Friday morning before heading into Newcastle about midday.
The Merewether Greens rugby trainer will be joined by a few of the club's juniors after school finishes for a final short leg to Blue Door Kiosk at Merewether beach, where the cafe will put on a party between 3.30pm and 5pm.
"Anything that gets purchased from Blue Door in that time goes towards the foundation," Hingston said.
He will then join Hughes at the Knights game for an on-field acknowledgement.
Donations towards Hingston's campaign can be made via the Mark Hughes Foundation website.
Andrew Johns, Bryan Fletcher, Wendell Sailor, even popular Sydney newsreader Peter Overton.
It's been a who's who of identities wishing Novocastrian Scott Hingston well on his run from Melbourne to Newcastle over the past fortnight.
A Merewether-based personal trainer, Hingston embarked on the 1100-kilometre journey on Sunday, June 15.
The 42-year-old, of Adamstown, departed Melbourne Storm's home ground of AAMI Park and traversed regional Victoria and NSW before heading into Sydney in recent days.
He will make the trip's final leg from Caves Beach to Merewether on Friday, before completing a celebratory lap of McDonald Jones Stadium at the Knights' match against the Raiders that night.
"It's been tough," Hingston told the Newcastle Herald on Thursday.
"I conditioned myself really well ... but it's been really tough sleeping at night. I've probably been averaging four-and-a-half hours sleep because my legs are just so sore.
"But in terms of getting through the actual runs each day ... Every day has been different.
"I had a really good day today, but there were certain days it was really hard. My body doesn't feel too bad, but my feet are pretty busted up.
"It could have been a lot worse, put it that way."
Hingston has captured plenty of attention on his run, appearing in several television news reports and on social media.
Some big names have offered video messages of support along the way.
With former Storm and Knights player Kirk Reynoldson among Hingston's support crew, sponsoring the journey via his mobile app business Eggy, the likes of Johns, Paul Harragon, Brad Fittler and more have chimed in with words of encouragement.
"For them to give me video messages, it's unbelievable," Hingston said. "You've got no idea how much it lifts you when you hear stuff like that."
The videos have been keeping Hingston motivated, but his efforts have been inspiring plenty of others. And the financial support has flowed as well.
Hingston was on track to hit his goal of raising more than $100,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
A die-hard Bulldogs supporter, he got to drop into Belmore for Canterbury's captain run on Wednesday, where the Bulldogs made a $10,000 donation.
Hingston said the toughest part of the trip was running through a wet and windy Lithgow, while there were some roads coming out of Melbourne that proved too narrow to run on.
He received a warm welcome in the country towns he stopped at, and singled out Junee's Red Cow Hotel for the best reception. Having not had a beer since January, he is now looking forward to a cold one on Friday night.
Hingston, who two years ago raised $25,000 for the Hunter Valley bus crash appeal, will make up some lost kilometres running around Caves Beach on Friday morning before heading into Newcastle about midday.
The Merewether Greens rugby trainer will be joined by a few of the club's juniors after school finishes for a final short leg to Blue Door Kiosk at Merewether beach, where the cafe will put on a party between 3.30pm and 5pm.
"Anything that gets purchased from Blue Door in that time goes towards the foundation," Hingston said.
He will then join Hughes at the Knights game for an on-field acknowledgement.
Donations towards Hingston's campaign can be made via the Mark Hughes Foundation website.
Andrew Johns, Bryan Fletcher, Wendell Sailor, even popular Sydney newsreader Peter Overton.
It's been a who's who of identities wishing Novocastrian Scott Hingston well on his run from Melbourne to Newcastle over the past fortnight.
A Merewether-based personal trainer, Hingston embarked on the 1100-kilometre journey on Sunday, June 15.
The 42-year-old, of Adamstown, departed Melbourne Storm's home ground of AAMI Park and traversed regional Victoria and NSW before heading into Sydney in recent days.
He will make the trip's final leg from Caves Beach to Merewether on Friday, before completing a celebratory lap of McDonald Jones Stadium at the Knights' match against the Raiders that night.
"It's been tough," Hingston told the Newcastle Herald on Thursday.
"I conditioned myself really well ... but it's been really tough sleeping at night. I've probably been averaging four-and-a-half hours sleep because my legs are just so sore.
"But in terms of getting through the actual runs each day ... Every day has been different.
"I had a really good day today, but there were certain days it was really hard. My body doesn't feel too bad, but my feet are pretty busted up.
"It could have been a lot worse, put it that way."
Hingston has captured plenty of attention on his run, appearing in several television news reports and on social media.
Some big names have offered video messages of support along the way.
With former Storm and Knights player Kirk Reynoldson among Hingston's support crew, sponsoring the journey via his mobile app business Eggy, the likes of Johns, Paul Harragon, Brad Fittler and more have chimed in with words of encouragement.
"For them to give me video messages, it's unbelievable," Hingston said. "You've got no idea how much it lifts you when you hear stuff like that."
The videos have been keeping Hingston motivated, but his efforts have been inspiring plenty of others. And the financial support has flowed as well.
Hingston was on track to hit his goal of raising more than $100,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
A die-hard Bulldogs supporter, he got to drop into Belmore for Canterbury's captain run on Wednesday, where the Bulldogs made a $10,000 donation.
Hingston said the toughest part of the trip was running through a wet and windy Lithgow, while there were some roads coming out of Melbourne that proved too narrow to run on.
He received a warm welcome in the country towns he stopped at, and singled out Junee's Red Cow Hotel for the best reception. Having not had a beer since January, he is now looking forward to a cold one on Friday night.
Hingston, who two years ago raised $25,000 for the Hunter Valley bus crash appeal, will make up some lost kilometres running around Caves Beach on Friday morning before heading into Newcastle about midday.
The Merewether Greens rugby trainer will be joined by a few of the club's juniors after school finishes for a final short leg to Blue Door Kiosk at Merewether beach, where the cafe will put on a party between 3.30pm and 5pm.
"Anything that gets purchased from Blue Door in that time goes towards the foundation," Hingston said.
He will then join Hughes at the Knights game for an on-field acknowledgement.
Donations towards Hingston's campaign can be made via the Mark Hughes Foundation website.