'Special': 475 stadium staff to don beanies for annual NRL round
All 475 stadium staff, including security guards, ticket attendants and food and beverage workers, will don a beanie when the Knights take on the Raiders at home. The bulk purchase equates to more than $10,000 raised for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
It's the first time stadium owner Venues NSW has bought beanies for all staff, having supported the fundraiser in other ways in previous years.
"When it all started to really kick off, we used to put the beanie sign out on the front of the venue and rename the stadium for beanie round," Mr Mantle said.
"That was obviously great for building awareness when it was required, but as the foundation has grown, it's now naturally recognised, so it probably hasn't got the cut through that it used to have.
"We looked at an opportunity to see how we could better reinvest that funding.
"The best way we thought we could do that was to invest in the beanies, so we've purchased a beanie for every single event staff."
Mark Hughes said he was very grateful for the support.
"To see every staff member wearing our beanies here next Friday night will just make it that much more special," he said.
The event will also be boosted by the arrival of participants on the annual Big Three trek, who walk from Sydney to McDonald Jones Stadium over three days, as well as Scott Hingston, who is running 1100km from Melbourne to Newcastle. Both initiatives have each raised more than $50,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
Hughes said the beanies fundraiser had gone from strength to strength each year.
"We've come a long way," he said.
"We've learned so much, and without the support of the good people who buy our beanies and support us in different ways, it doesn't happen."
"I just see the beanies everywhere. People walk on the beach, walk on the streets. It's really overwhelming to see the support out there.
"It's all about giving hope to brain cancer. So, people wearing their old beanies, people buying new beanies, it really is special."
Mr Mantle is expecting a solid crowd for the much-loved NRL round.
"Fortunately for us at the moment, the Knights are very well supported," he said.
"We're on an average of just below 20,000 per game. So I'd expect well above 20,000.
"I hope everybody comes in with the beanie on or if they don't have already have one, they purchase one on the night. I think it'll be amazing.
"It's incredible to see how big this has gotten, and no doubt it could get so much bigger thanks to the work that Mark and Kirralee do with the foundation."
McDonald Jones Stadium will be a sea of purple and grey on Friday for the annual Beanie for Brain Cancer NRL round.
All 475 stadium staff, including security guards, ticket attendants and food and beverage workers, will don a beanie when the Knights take on the Raiders at home. The bulk purchase equates to more than $10,000 raised for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
It's the first time stadium owner Venues NSW has bought beanies for all staff, having supported the fundraiser in other ways in previous years.
"When it all started to really kick off, we used to put the beanie sign out on the front of the venue and rename the stadium for beanie round," Mr Mantle said.
"That was obviously great for building awareness when it was required, but as the foundation has grown, it's now naturally recognised, so it probably hasn't got the cut through that it used to have.
"We looked at an opportunity to see how we could better reinvest that funding.
"The best way we thought we could do that was to invest in the beanies, so we've purchased a beanie for every single event staff."
Mark Hughes said he was very grateful for the support.
"To see every staff member wearing our beanies here next Friday night will just make it that much more special," he said.
The event will also be boosted by the arrival of participants on the annual Big Three trek, who walk from Sydney to McDonald Jones Stadium over three days, as well as Scott Hingston, who is running 1100km from Melbourne to Newcastle. Both initiatives have each raised more than $50,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
Hughes said the beanies fundraiser had gone from strength to strength each year.
"We've come a long way," he said.
"We've learned so much, and without the support of the good people who buy our beanies and support us in different ways, it doesn't happen."
"I just see the beanies everywhere. People walk on the beach, walk on the streets. It's really overwhelming to see the support out there.
"It's all about giving hope to brain cancer. So, people wearing their old beanies, people buying new beanies, it really is special."
Mr Mantle is expecting a solid crowd for the much-loved NRL round.
"Fortunately for us at the moment, the Knights are very well supported," he said.
"We're on an average of just below 20,000 per game. So I'd expect well above 20,000.
"I hope everybody comes in with the beanie on or if they don't have already have one, they purchase one on the night. I think it'll be amazing.
"It's incredible to see how big this has gotten, and no doubt it could get so much bigger thanks to the work that Mark and Kirralee do with the foundation."
McDonald Jones Stadium will be a sea of purple and grey on Friday for the annual Beanie for Brain Cancer NRL round.
All 475 stadium staff, including security guards, ticket attendants and food and beverage workers, will don a beanie when the Knights take on the Raiders at home. The bulk purchase equates to more than $10,000 raised for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
It's the first time stadium owner Venues NSW has bought beanies for all staff, having supported the fundraiser in other ways in previous years.
"When it all started to really kick off, we used to put the beanie sign out on the front of the venue and rename the stadium for beanie round," Mr Mantle said.
"That was obviously great for building awareness when it was required, but as the foundation has grown, it's now naturally recognised, so it probably hasn't got the cut through that it used to have.
"We looked at an opportunity to see how we could better reinvest that funding.
"The best way we thought we could do that was to invest in the beanies, so we've purchased a beanie for every single event staff."
Mark Hughes said he was very grateful for the support.
"To see every staff member wearing our beanies here next Friday night will just make it that much more special," he said.
The event will also be boosted by the arrival of participants on the annual Big Three trek, who walk from Sydney to McDonald Jones Stadium over three days, as well as Scott Hingston, who is running 1100km from Melbourne to Newcastle. Both initiatives have each raised more than $50,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
Hughes said the beanies fundraiser had gone from strength to strength each year.
"We've come a long way," he said.
"We've learned so much, and without the support of the good people who buy our beanies and support us in different ways, it doesn't happen."
"I just see the beanies everywhere. People walk on the beach, walk on the streets. It's really overwhelming to see the support out there.
"It's all about giving hope to brain cancer. So, people wearing their old beanies, people buying new beanies, it really is special."
Mr Mantle is expecting a solid crowd for the much-loved NRL round.
"Fortunately for us at the moment, the Knights are very well supported," he said.
"We're on an average of just below 20,000 per game. So I'd expect well above 20,000.
"I hope everybody comes in with the beanie on or if they don't have already have one, they purchase one on the night. I think it'll be amazing.
"It's incredible to see how big this has gotten, and no doubt it could get so much bigger thanks to the work that Mark and Kirralee do with the foundation."
McDonald Jones Stadium will be a sea of purple and grey on Friday for the annual Beanie for Brain Cancer NRL round.
All 475 stadium staff, including security guards, ticket attendants and food and beverage workers, will don a beanie when the Knights take on the Raiders at home. The bulk purchase equates to more than $10,000 raised for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
It's the first time stadium owner Venues NSW has bought beanies for all staff, having supported the fundraiser in other ways in previous years.
"When it all started to really kick off, we used to put the beanie sign out on the front of the venue and rename the stadium for beanie round," Mr Mantle said.
"That was obviously great for building awareness when it was required, but as the foundation has grown, it's now naturally recognised, so it probably hasn't got the cut through that it used to have.
"We looked at an opportunity to see how we could better reinvest that funding.
"The best way we thought we could do that was to invest in the beanies, so we've purchased a beanie for every single event staff."
Mark Hughes said he was very grateful for the support.
"To see every staff member wearing our beanies here next Friday night will just make it that much more special," he said.
The event will also be boosted by the arrival of participants on the annual Big Three trek, who walk from Sydney to McDonald Jones Stadium over three days, as well as Scott Hingston, who is running 1100km from Melbourne to Newcastle. Both initiatives have each raised more than $50,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
Hughes said the beanies fundraiser had gone from strength to strength each year.
"We've come a long way," he said.
"We've learned so much, and without the support of the good people who buy our beanies and support us in different ways, it doesn't happen."
"I just see the beanies everywhere. People walk on the beach, walk on the streets. It's really overwhelming to see the support out there.
"It's all about giving hope to brain cancer. So, people wearing their old beanies, people buying new beanies, it really is special."
Mr Mantle is expecting a solid crowd for the much-loved NRL round.
"Fortunately for us at the moment, the Knights are very well supported," he said.
"We're on an average of just below 20,000 per game. So I'd expect well above 20,000.
"I hope everybody comes in with the beanie on or if they don't have already have one, they purchase one on the night. I think it'll be amazing.
"It's incredible to see how big this has gotten, and no doubt it could get so much bigger thanks to the work that Mark and Kirralee do with the foundation."
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Can the Knights make it three in a row for debutant fullbacks?
Fletcher Sharpe, David Armstrong and ... Tony Kemp. They are the Knights players to have scored on debut at fullback. Sharpe and Armstrong crossed the stripe in their first appearances last year, when the electric rookies came in to cover for injured skipper Kalyn Ponga. You have to go right back to Newcastle's inaugural season in 1988 to find another fullback who scored in their career debut, when in round three Kemp crossed in a 20-16 win over Balmain Tigers. But after Armstrong and Sharpe, the last players to debut at fullback for the Knights, Connor Votano will have the chance to make it three from three when he starts in the No.1 jersey against North Queensland in Townsville on Sunday. Knights legend Tony Butterfield, who played in Kemp's debut, said while a Votano try "would be exciting for all-bar the Cowboy mob" and a "magic moment for his family knowing how far he's come", there were two sides to the game. Highlighting Knights flyer Darren Albert's tackle on North Sydney back Matt Sears in the 1997 finals series, Butterfield said a try-saving effort can prove just as memorable as a try, if not more. "We or he knows he can score tries," Butterfield said of Votano. "The other side of that same coin is where it gets tough at this level. "His reality at fullback, his growing confidence and ambition for an NRL future hinges as much on defending four-pointers. "In the most exposed position on the field where self belief can be sorely tested, in my time, that task took years to master and fell to men of uncommon character, who thrived in competition, in the inches. "Obliging teammates always helped. Good luck to the kid." Kemp's try on debut was one of 20 he scored in 87 games for the Knights. Armstrong scored five in five games before being dropped for Sharpe last year. He is now playing in the Super League. Sharpe, sidelined by injury since round 16, has scored 22 tries in 26 NRL games, but he switched to five-eighth this year. Other Knights players have scored on debut in other positions, including Nathan Ross, Dylan Phythian, Milton Thaiday and Mark Hughes. Andrew Johns scored two tries in his first starting appearance in the opening round of the 1994 season, but had come off the bench in games the season before. Votano, a two-time NSW under-19s player, gets his chance in first grade with Ponga and Sharpe out injured. Dane Gagai has played the past three games at fullback, but Knights coach Adam O'Brien opted to give first-year rookie Fletcher Hunt a spell this week, and move Gagai back to the centres. Votano has played 20 NSW Cup games this season, starting all of them at fullback. He has scored six tries in the reserve-grade competition. Initially a Blue Haven Raiders junior before switching to The Entrance Tigers in his teens, he has come right through the Knights' development system, captaining some of the under-age sides. Former Canterbury captain and NSW and Australian representative, Andrew Ryan, coached Votano in the 19s Origin. The 291-game NRL forward, who also coaches Newcastle Rugby League club Souths, was eager to have Votano in his team despite Raiders attacking ace Chevy Stewart starting at fullback. "The beauty of him for that team especially, we already had Chevy Stewart who was probably going to play fullback, but I loved the fact he could play anywhere in the backline and has done through the grades," Ryan said of Votano. "I think his best position is obviously fullback, which is where he's playing [NRL this weekend], but the thing that smacks me about him is just how calm everything was. "[I] had him on the bench and it's hard in that situation - you don't know which role you're going to play and it could be any time. "He went in with a great attitude and as it turns out we lost [Panthers centre] Jesse McLean a few minutes into the game so Connor had to go and play on the wing for pretty well the whole game. "I thought he was absolutely outstanding. They peppered him with kicks and everything but he just took it all in his stride and defended really well. He just looked really comfortable. His nature in and around the camp the whole time as well." The Knights (18 points) head to Townsville placed 15th, one position and a single competition point behind the Cowboys (19). A win can lift them above the North Queensland side, but a loss will leave them further at risk of slipping to last. Gold Coast Titans (16) are a win behind both Newcastle and South Sydney (18). Newcastle haven't won in Townsville since 2015, losing their past nine games there. They have lost their past five games and conceded 92 points in their past two. The Cowboys have lost five of their past six matches. After losing lock Phoenix Crossland to concussion, the Knights have called up Matt Arthur as their bench utility. The 20-year-old will play his first NRL game since round six, and first alongside brother Jake who is Newcastle's five-eighth. They will join the likes of the Johns, Sims and Gidleys as brothers to have played together for the Knights. Brodie Jones has also returned to the side, named on a bench also featuring Tom Cant and Mat Croker. The Cowboys are without suspended forward Coen Hess and representative winger Murray Taulagi. Frizell, 33, has been playing in the NRL since 2011. His first NRL appearance in Townsville was in 2012. But in all of his 277-game, 15-year career, he is yet to notch a win over the Cowboys in north Queensland. In fact, counting Frizell's under-20's career, he has played nine games overall in Townsville since 2010 and is yet to return victorious. "I didn't know that stat," Frizell said. "It's tough. The conditions are tough, the teams are always tough up there to beat. "But for us, every time we've been up there, it's always been a pretty close match. "We know what to expect, and they're in a similar boat to us on the ladder and we want to be finishing our season off on a high. "We'll start that off this week by going up there and playing as well as possible, and coming back with the two points." In his second NRL season, at his debut club Cronulla, Frizell missed a win over the Cowboys in Townsville, and then missed a further two wins with his second club St George Illawarra. But Newcastle, who Frizell joined in 2021, have lost nine consecutive games in Townsville. They haven't won there since round two, 2015. Overall, they have only had seven wins in 25 games at Townsville since 1995. However, they have come close in recent years, losing 18-16 in 2023, 21-20 in the regular season last year and then falling short 28-16 in an elimination final, in which only a wayward pass and dropped ball likely prevented them from winning. "I've always felt good going to Townsville," winger Greg Marzhew said this week. "It's always the same thing, just go out there and play my best and hopefully we can get the win. "But that's a pretty crazy stat. "It's a team effort, it's not one person's fault, it's a whole team effort. Hopefully our team turns up, and I reckon we will, and get the result." The 14th-placed Cowboys, who the Knights can leapfrog with a win, have had a mixed year. They beat the Panthers and Raiders in a four-game winning streak earlier this season, but have lost five of their past six. Newcastle have lost their past five. Both teams remain at risk of collecting the wooden spoon, although the Cowboys (19 points) are in a slightly better position than the Knights (18). The Titans (16) are outright last. Frizell, who re-signed this week for next season, admitted morale was "good" amongst the squad but "wasn't great" after a lengthy losing run. Newcastle also have several NRL regulars sidelined, including Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharpe, Dylan Lucas, Adam Elliott, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Gamble. The club has been forced to debut several players this season, including 19-year-old Connor Votono who starts at fullback this week. But Frizell, who will switch to lock to cover for Crossland, said the playing group was committed to finishing the season on a high. "It's good learning as well, it's not always going to be easy," Frizell said of how Newcastle's rookies were handling the campaign. "You're not always going to come in off a good win and then roll into training bouncing. It's just part of it. "But understanding that you need to get up for the next game. What's happened in the past, you get your learnings but you just really need to move on. "The young guys coming in, they're getting opportunities through injuries, through performances. It's only going to benefit them. "I'm not going to lie, you want to be bouncing in here knowing you're looking forward to September footy, but the reality is it's not there. "This is what we get paid to do. It's a tough career, a tough job, but you've just got to roll in here and get through your work, and create an environment that the boys want to come in and work hard. "It's a fight to win every game." Fletcher Sharpe, David Armstrong and ... Tony Kemp. They are the Knights players to have scored on debut at fullback. Sharpe and Armstrong crossed the stripe in their first appearances last year, when the electric rookies came in to cover for injured skipper Kalyn Ponga. You have to go right back to Newcastle's inaugural season in 1988 to find another fullback who scored in their career debut, when in round three Kemp crossed in a 20-16 win over Balmain Tigers. But after Armstrong and Sharpe, the last players to debut at fullback for the Knights, Connor Votano will have the chance to make it three from three when he starts in the No.1 jersey against North Queensland in Townsville on Sunday. Knights legend Tony Butterfield, who played in Kemp's debut, said while a Votano try "would be exciting for all-bar the Cowboy mob" and a "magic moment for his family knowing how far he's come", there were two sides to the game. Highlighting Knights flyer Darren Albert's tackle on North Sydney back Matt Sears in the 1997 finals series, Butterfield said a try-saving effort can prove just as memorable as a try, if not more. "We or he knows he can score tries," Butterfield said of Votano. "The other side of that same coin is where it gets tough at this level. "His reality at fullback, his growing confidence and ambition for an NRL future hinges as much on defending four-pointers. "In the most exposed position on the field where self belief can be sorely tested, in my time, that task took years to master and fell to men of uncommon character, who thrived in competition, in the inches. "Obliging teammates always helped. Good luck to the kid." Kemp's try on debut was one of 20 he scored in 87 games for the Knights. Armstrong scored five in five games before being dropped for Sharpe last year. He is now playing in the Super League. Sharpe, sidelined by injury since round 16, has scored 22 tries in 26 NRL games, but he switched to five-eighth this year. Other Knights players have scored on debut in other positions, including Nathan Ross, Dylan Phythian, Milton Thaiday and Mark Hughes. Andrew Johns scored two tries in his first starting appearance in the opening round of the 1994 season, but had come off the bench in games the season before. Votano, a two-time NSW under-19s player, gets his chance in first grade with Ponga and Sharpe out injured. Dane Gagai has played the past three games at fullback, but Knights coach Adam O'Brien opted to give first-year rookie Fletcher Hunt a spell this week, and move Gagai back to the centres. Votano has played 20 NSW Cup games this season, starting all of them at fullback. He has scored six tries in the reserve-grade competition. Initially a Blue Haven Raiders junior before switching to The Entrance Tigers in his teens, he has come right through the Knights' development system, captaining some of the under-age sides. Former Canterbury captain and NSW and Australian representative, Andrew Ryan, coached Votano in the 19s Origin. The 291-game NRL forward, who also coaches Newcastle Rugby League club Souths, was eager to have Votano in his team despite Raiders attacking ace Chevy Stewart starting at fullback. "The beauty of him for that team especially, we already had Chevy Stewart who was probably going to play fullback, but I loved the fact he could play anywhere in the backline and has done through the grades," Ryan said of Votano. "I think his best position is obviously fullback, which is where he's playing [NRL this weekend], but the thing that smacks me about him is just how calm everything was. "[I] had him on the bench and it's hard in that situation - you don't know which role you're going to play and it could be any time. "He went in with a great attitude and as it turns out we lost [Panthers centre] Jesse McLean a few minutes into the game so Connor had to go and play on the wing for pretty well the whole game. "I thought he was absolutely outstanding. They peppered him with kicks and everything but he just took it all in his stride and defended really well. He just looked really comfortable. His nature in and around the camp the whole time as well." The Knights (18 points) head to Townsville placed 15th, one position and a single competition point behind the Cowboys (19). A win can lift them above the North Queensland side, but a loss will leave them further at risk of slipping to last. Gold Coast Titans (16) are a win behind both Newcastle and South Sydney (18). Newcastle haven't won in Townsville since 2015, losing their past nine games there. They have lost their past five games and conceded 92 points in their past two. The Cowboys have lost five of their past six matches. After losing lock Phoenix Crossland to concussion, the Knights have called up Matt Arthur as their bench utility. The 20-year-old will play his first NRL game since round six, and first alongside brother Jake who is Newcastle's five-eighth. They will join the likes of the Johns, Sims and Gidleys as brothers to have played together for the Knights. Brodie Jones has also returned to the side, named on a bench also featuring Tom Cant and Mat Croker. The Cowboys are without suspended forward Coen Hess and representative winger Murray Taulagi. Frizell, 33, has been playing in the NRL since 2011. His first NRL appearance in Townsville was in 2012. But in all of his 277-game, 15-year career, he is yet to notch a win over the Cowboys in north Queensland. In fact, counting Frizell's under-20's career, he has played nine games overall in Townsville since 2010 and is yet to return victorious. "I didn't know that stat," Frizell said. "It's tough. The conditions are tough, the teams are always tough up there to beat. "But for us, every time we've been up there, it's always been a pretty close match. "We know what to expect, and they're in a similar boat to us on the ladder and we want to be finishing our season off on a high. "We'll start that off this week by going up there and playing as well as possible, and coming back with the two points." In his second NRL season, at his debut club Cronulla, Frizell missed a win over the Cowboys in Townsville, and then missed a further two wins with his second club St George Illawarra. But Newcastle, who Frizell joined in 2021, have lost nine consecutive games in Townsville. They haven't won there since round two, 2015. Overall, they have only had seven wins in 25 games at Townsville since 1995. However, they have come close in recent years, losing 18-16 in 2023, 21-20 in the regular season last year and then falling short 28-16 in an elimination final, in which only a wayward pass and dropped ball likely prevented them from winning. "I've always felt good going to Townsville," winger Greg Marzhew said this week. "It's always the same thing, just go out there and play my best and hopefully we can get the win. "But that's a pretty crazy stat. "It's a team effort, it's not one person's fault, it's a whole team effort. Hopefully our team turns up, and I reckon we will, and get the result." The 14th-placed Cowboys, who the Knights can leapfrog with a win, have had a mixed year. They beat the Panthers and Raiders in a four-game winning streak earlier this season, but have lost five of their past six. Newcastle have lost their past five. Both teams remain at risk of collecting the wooden spoon, although the Cowboys (19 points) are in a slightly better position than the Knights (18). The Titans (16) are outright last. Frizell, who re-signed this week for next season, admitted morale was "good" amongst the squad but "wasn't great" after a lengthy losing run. Newcastle also have several NRL regulars sidelined, including Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharpe, Dylan Lucas, Adam Elliott, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Gamble. The club has been forced to debut several players this season, including 19-year-old Connor Votono who starts at fullback this week. But Frizell, who will switch to lock to cover for Crossland, said the playing group was committed to finishing the season on a high. "It's good learning as well, it's not always going to be easy," Frizell said of how Newcastle's rookies were handling the campaign. "You're not always going to come in off a good win and then roll into training bouncing. It's just part of it. "But understanding that you need to get up for the next game. What's happened in the past, you get your learnings but you just really need to move on. "The young guys coming in, they're getting opportunities through injuries, through performances. It's only going to benefit them. "I'm not going to lie, you want to be bouncing in here knowing you're looking forward to September footy, but the reality is it's not there. "This is what we get paid to do. It's a tough career, a tough job, but you've just got to roll in here and get through your work, and create an environment that the boys want to come in and work hard. "It's a fight to win every game." Fletcher Sharpe, David Armstrong and ... Tony Kemp. They are the Knights players to have scored on debut at fullback. Sharpe and Armstrong crossed the stripe in their first appearances last year, when the electric rookies came in to cover for injured skipper Kalyn Ponga. You have to go right back to Newcastle's inaugural season in 1988 to find another fullback who scored in their career debut, when in round three Kemp crossed in a 20-16 win over Balmain Tigers. But after Armstrong and Sharpe, the last players to debut at fullback for the Knights, Connor Votano will have the chance to make it three from three when he starts in the No.1 jersey against North Queensland in Townsville on Sunday. Knights legend Tony Butterfield, who played in Kemp's debut, said while a Votano try "would be exciting for all-bar the Cowboy mob" and a "magic moment for his family knowing how far he's come", there were two sides to the game. Highlighting Knights flyer Darren Albert's tackle on North Sydney back Matt Sears in the 1997 finals series, Butterfield said a try-saving effort can prove just as memorable as a try, if not more. "We or he knows he can score tries," Butterfield said of Votano. "The other side of that same coin is where it gets tough at this level. "His reality at fullback, his growing confidence and ambition for an NRL future hinges as much on defending four-pointers. "In the most exposed position on the field where self belief can be sorely tested, in my time, that task took years to master and fell to men of uncommon character, who thrived in competition, in the inches. "Obliging teammates always helped. Good luck to the kid." Kemp's try on debut was one of 20 he scored in 87 games for the Knights. Armstrong scored five in five games before being dropped for Sharpe last year. He is now playing in the Super League. Sharpe, sidelined by injury since round 16, has scored 22 tries in 26 NRL games, but he switched to five-eighth this year. Other Knights players have scored on debut in other positions, including Nathan Ross, Dylan Phythian, Milton Thaiday and Mark Hughes. Andrew Johns scored two tries in his first starting appearance in the opening round of the 1994 season, but had come off the bench in games the season before. Votano, a two-time NSW under-19s player, gets his chance in first grade with Ponga and Sharpe out injured. Dane Gagai has played the past three games at fullback, but Knights coach Adam O'Brien opted to give first-year rookie Fletcher Hunt a spell this week, and move Gagai back to the centres. Votano has played 20 NSW Cup games this season, starting all of them at fullback. He has scored six tries in the reserve-grade competition. Initially a Blue Haven Raiders junior before switching to The Entrance Tigers in his teens, he has come right through the Knights' development system, captaining some of the under-age sides. Former Canterbury captain and NSW and Australian representative, Andrew Ryan, coached Votano in the 19s Origin. The 291-game NRL forward, who also coaches Newcastle Rugby League club Souths, was eager to have Votano in his team despite Raiders attacking ace Chevy Stewart starting at fullback. "The beauty of him for that team especially, we already had Chevy Stewart who was probably going to play fullback, but I loved the fact he could play anywhere in the backline and has done through the grades," Ryan said of Votano. "I think his best position is obviously fullback, which is where he's playing [NRL this weekend], but the thing that smacks me about him is just how calm everything was. "[I] had him on the bench and it's hard in that situation - you don't know which role you're going to play and it could be any time. "He went in with a great attitude and as it turns out we lost [Panthers centre] Jesse McLean a few minutes into the game so Connor had to go and play on the wing for pretty well the whole game. "I thought he was absolutely outstanding. They peppered him with kicks and everything but he just took it all in his stride and defended really well. He just looked really comfortable. His nature in and around the camp the whole time as well." The Knights (18 points) head to Townsville placed 15th, one position and a single competition point behind the Cowboys (19). A win can lift them above the North Queensland side, but a loss will leave them further at risk of slipping to last. Gold Coast Titans (16) are a win behind both Newcastle and South Sydney (18). Newcastle haven't won in Townsville since 2015, losing their past nine games there. They have lost their past five games and conceded 92 points in their past two. The Cowboys have lost five of their past six matches. After losing lock Phoenix Crossland to concussion, the Knights have called up Matt Arthur as their bench utility. The 20-year-old will play his first NRL game since round six, and first alongside brother Jake who is Newcastle's five-eighth. They will join the likes of the Johns, Sims and Gidleys as brothers to have played together for the Knights. Brodie Jones has also returned to the side, named on a bench also featuring Tom Cant and Mat Croker. The Cowboys are without suspended forward Coen Hess and representative winger Murray Taulagi. Frizell, 33, has been playing in the NRL since 2011. His first NRL appearance in Townsville was in 2012. But in all of his 277-game, 15-year career, he is yet to notch a win over the Cowboys in north Queensland. In fact, counting Frizell's under-20's career, he has played nine games overall in Townsville since 2010 and is yet to return victorious. "I didn't know that stat," Frizell said. "It's tough. The conditions are tough, the teams are always tough up there to beat. "But for us, every time we've been up there, it's always been a pretty close match. "We know what to expect, and they're in a similar boat to us on the ladder and we want to be finishing our season off on a high. "We'll start that off this week by going up there and playing as well as possible, and coming back with the two points." In his second NRL season, at his debut club Cronulla, Frizell missed a win over the Cowboys in Townsville, and then missed a further two wins with his second club St George Illawarra. But Newcastle, who Frizell joined in 2021, have lost nine consecutive games in Townsville. They haven't won there since round two, 2015. Overall, they have only had seven wins in 25 games at Townsville since 1995. However, they have come close in recent years, losing 18-16 in 2023, 21-20 in the regular season last year and then falling short 28-16 in an elimination final, in which only a wayward pass and dropped ball likely prevented them from winning. "I've always felt good going to Townsville," winger Greg Marzhew said this week. "It's always the same thing, just go out there and play my best and hopefully we can get the win. "But that's a pretty crazy stat. "It's a team effort, it's not one person's fault, it's a whole team effort. Hopefully our team turns up, and I reckon we will, and get the result." The 14th-placed Cowboys, who the Knights can leapfrog with a win, have had a mixed year. They beat the Panthers and Raiders in a four-game winning streak earlier this season, but have lost five of their past six. Newcastle have lost their past five. Both teams remain at risk of collecting the wooden spoon, although the Cowboys (19 points) are in a slightly better position than the Knights (18). The Titans (16) are outright last. Frizell, who re-signed this week for next season, admitted morale was "good" amongst the squad but "wasn't great" after a lengthy losing run. Newcastle also have several NRL regulars sidelined, including Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharpe, Dylan Lucas, Adam Elliott, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Gamble. The club has been forced to debut several players this season, including 19-year-old Connor Votono who starts at fullback this week. But Frizell, who will switch to lock to cover for Crossland, said the playing group was committed to finishing the season on a high. "It's good learning as well, it's not always going to be easy," Frizell said of how Newcastle's rookies were handling the campaign. "You're not always going to come in off a good win and then roll into training bouncing. It's just part of it. "But understanding that you need to get up for the next game. What's happened in the past, you get your learnings but you just really need to move on. "The young guys coming in, they're getting opportunities through injuries, through performances. It's only going to benefit them. "I'm not going to lie, you want to be bouncing in here knowing you're looking forward to September footy, but the reality is it's not there. "This is what we get paid to do. It's a tough career, a tough job, but you've just got to roll in here and get through your work, and create an environment that the boys want to come in and work hard. "It's a fight to win every game." Fletcher Sharpe, David Armstrong and ... Tony Kemp. They are the Knights players to have scored on debut at fullback. Sharpe and Armstrong crossed the stripe in their first appearances last year, when the electric rookies came in to cover for injured skipper Kalyn Ponga. You have to go right back to Newcastle's inaugural season in 1988 to find another fullback who scored in their career debut, when in round three Kemp crossed in a 20-16 win over Balmain Tigers. But after Armstrong and Sharpe, the last players to debut at fullback for the Knights, Connor Votano will have the chance to make it three from three when he starts in the No.1 jersey against North Queensland in Townsville on Sunday. Knights legend Tony Butterfield, who played in Kemp's debut, said while a Votano try "would be exciting for all-bar the Cowboy mob" and a "magic moment for his family knowing how far he's come", there were two sides to the game. Highlighting Knights flyer Darren Albert's tackle on North Sydney back Matt Sears in the 1997 finals series, Butterfield said a try-saving effort can prove just as memorable as a try, if not more. "We or he knows he can score tries," Butterfield said of Votano. "The other side of that same coin is where it gets tough at this level. "His reality at fullback, his growing confidence and ambition for an NRL future hinges as much on defending four-pointers. "In the most exposed position on the field where self belief can be sorely tested, in my time, that task took years to master and fell to men of uncommon character, who thrived in competition, in the inches. "Obliging teammates always helped. Good luck to the kid." Kemp's try on debut was one of 20 he scored in 87 games for the Knights. Armstrong scored five in five games before being dropped for Sharpe last year. He is now playing in the Super League. Sharpe, sidelined by injury since round 16, has scored 22 tries in 26 NRL games, but he switched to five-eighth this year. Other Knights players have scored on debut in other positions, including Nathan Ross, Dylan Phythian, Milton Thaiday and Mark Hughes. Andrew Johns scored two tries in his first starting appearance in the opening round of the 1994 season, but had come off the bench in games the season before. Votano, a two-time NSW under-19s player, gets his chance in first grade with Ponga and Sharpe out injured. Dane Gagai has played the past three games at fullback, but Knights coach Adam O'Brien opted to give first-year rookie Fletcher Hunt a spell this week, and move Gagai back to the centres. Votano has played 20 NSW Cup games this season, starting all of them at fullback. He has scored six tries in the reserve-grade competition. Initially a Blue Haven Raiders junior before switching to The Entrance Tigers in his teens, he has come right through the Knights' development system, captaining some of the under-age sides. Former Canterbury captain and NSW and Australian representative, Andrew Ryan, coached Votano in the 19s Origin. The 291-game NRL forward, who also coaches Newcastle Rugby League club Souths, was eager to have Votano in his team despite Raiders attacking ace Chevy Stewart starting at fullback. "The beauty of him for that team especially, we already had Chevy Stewart who was probably going to play fullback, but I loved the fact he could play anywhere in the backline and has done through the grades," Ryan said of Votano. "I think his best position is obviously fullback, which is where he's playing [NRL this weekend], but the thing that smacks me about him is just how calm everything was. "[I] had him on the bench and it's hard in that situation - you don't know which role you're going to play and it could be any time. "He went in with a great attitude and as it turns out we lost [Panthers centre] Jesse McLean a few minutes into the game so Connor had to go and play on the wing for pretty well the whole game. "I thought he was absolutely outstanding. They peppered him with kicks and everything but he just took it all in his stride and defended really well. He just looked really comfortable. His nature in and around the camp the whole time as well." The Knights (18 points) head to Townsville placed 15th, one position and a single competition point behind the Cowboys (19). A win can lift them above the North Queensland side, but a loss will leave them further at risk of slipping to last. Gold Coast Titans (16) are a win behind both Newcastle and South Sydney (18). Newcastle haven't won in Townsville since 2015, losing their past nine games there. They have lost their past five games and conceded 92 points in their past two. The Cowboys have lost five of their past six matches. After losing lock Phoenix Crossland to concussion, the Knights have called up Matt Arthur as their bench utility. The 20-year-old will play his first NRL game since round six, and first alongside brother Jake who is Newcastle's five-eighth. They will join the likes of the Johns, Sims and Gidleys as brothers to have played together for the Knights. Brodie Jones has also returned to the side, named on a bench also featuring Tom Cant and Mat Croker. The Cowboys are without suspended forward Coen Hess and representative winger Murray Taulagi. Frizell, 33, has been playing in the NRL since 2011. His first NRL appearance in Townsville was in 2012. But in all of his 277-game, 15-year career, he is yet to notch a win over the Cowboys in north Queensland. In fact, counting Frizell's under-20's career, he has played nine games overall in Townsville since 2010 and is yet to return victorious. "I didn't know that stat," Frizell said. "It's tough. The conditions are tough, the teams are always tough up there to beat. "But for us, every time we've been up there, it's always been a pretty close match. "We know what to expect, and they're in a similar boat to us on the ladder and we want to be finishing our season off on a high. "We'll start that off this week by going up there and playing as well as possible, and coming back with the two points." In his second NRL season, at his debut club Cronulla, Frizell missed a win over the Cowboys in Townsville, and then missed a further two wins with his second club St George Illawarra. But Newcastle, who Frizell joined in 2021, have lost nine consecutive games in Townsville. They haven't won there since round two, 2015. Overall, they have only had seven wins in 25 games at Townsville since 1995. However, they have come close in recent years, losing 18-16 in 2023, 21-20 in the regular season last year and then falling short 28-16 in an elimination final, in which only a wayward pass and dropped ball likely prevented them from winning. "I've always felt good going to Townsville," winger Greg Marzhew said this week. "It's always the same thing, just go out there and play my best and hopefully we can get the win. "But that's a pretty crazy stat. "It's a team effort, it's not one person's fault, it's a whole team effort. Hopefully our team turns up, and I reckon we will, and get the result." The 14th-placed Cowboys, who the Knights can leapfrog with a win, have had a mixed year. They beat the Panthers and Raiders in a four-game winning streak earlier this season, but have lost five of their past six. Newcastle have lost their past five. Both teams remain at risk of collecting the wooden spoon, although the Cowboys (19 points) are in a slightly better position than the Knights (18). The Titans (16) are outright last. Frizell, who re-signed this week for next season, admitted morale was "good" amongst the squad but "wasn't great" after a lengthy losing run. Newcastle also have several NRL regulars sidelined, including Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharpe, Dylan Lucas, Adam Elliott, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Gamble. The club has been forced to debut several players this season, including 19-year-old Connor Votono who starts at fullback this week. But Frizell, who will switch to lock to cover for Crossland, said the playing group was committed to finishing the season on a high. "It's good learning as well, it's not always going to be easy," Frizell said of how Newcastle's rookies were handling the campaign. "You're not always going to come in off a good win and then roll into training bouncing. It's just part of it. "But understanding that you need to get up for the next game. What's happened in the past, you get your learnings but you just really need to move on. "The young guys coming in, they're getting opportunities through injuries, through performances. It's only going to benefit them. "I'm not going to lie, you want to be bouncing in here knowing you're looking forward to September footy, but the reality is it's not there. "This is what we get paid to do. It's a tough career, a tough job, but you've just got to roll in here and get through your work, and create an environment that the boys want to come in and work hard. "It's a fight to win every game."
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Legends DEMAND change to exploited rule: Freddy & the Eighth Ep 23
NRL Legends Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns fire up over the exploited midair tackle rule and demand changes from the NRL. The Eighth Immortal gets absolutely roasted by a 99-year-old footy fan. Plus, Canberra Raiders Hooker Tom Starling joins the show to discuss the Raiders' premiership hopes. All that and more on Freddy & the Eighth.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Legends DEMAND change to exploited rule: Freddy & the Eighth Ep 23
NRL Legends Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns fire up over the exploited midair tackle rule and demand changes from the NRL. The Eighth Immortal gets absolutely roasted by a 99-year-old footy fan. Plus, Canberra Raiders Hooker Tom Starling joins the show to discuss the Raiders' premiership hopes. All that and more on Freddy & the Eighth.
