The NYC Newcastle Knights played their final game of the season, bowing out before finals football after a 26-16 loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons.
While the match was a disappointing end to the 2016 campaign, coach Todd Lowrie reflected on a positive season, which has seen the side’s young players grow and develop.
“The boys handled themselves pretty well,” he said following the match.
“It was always going to be tough coming down here playing against a team who was going to play semi-finals.
“It got a bit tough and I suppose it just showed they had plenty to play for and we didn’t unfortunately.
“The boys went okay even though they didn’t get the result."
The season has been a valuable learning curve for many young players who have been promoted from the Club’s junior ranks.
Lowrie believes the players’ experience bodes well for the 2017 season.
“It’s been a pretty long year and we have a young team with a few 18 and 19-year-olds,” he said.
"There are only five or six guys who are 20 who will head out obviously.
“The majority of the squad stays the same and we will bring in a few.
"There are a lot of guys coming up from the Under 18s.
“It will be very similar squad to what it is this year.”
The young Knights finished the 2016 season in 10th-place, finishing on 27 points along with the Broncos who finished in 9th-place.
