Top 10 Knights moments
As the 2018 season grows closer, look back over the Club's best moments from the last 30 seasons and choose your favourite!
Leading into the season we'll count down the ten most selected moments, with in-depth highlights and information.
From the Club's very first game to Kurt Gidley's after the siren winning conversion against the Melbourne Storm, this list has it all.
Moment 1 – 1997 grand final
Billed as one of the best finals in Australian sporting history, every Knights fan worth their salt knows how this game went.
The Club’s first premiership, and against bitter rivals the Manly Sea Eagles no less.
Moment 2 – 2001 grand final
Just four years after the Club’s first trophy, a side boasting Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus, Ben Kennedy and so many more ran the Parramatta Eels ragged at ANZ Stadium.
Moment 3 – Darren Albert’s tackle in 1997 preliminary final
There quite possibly would have been no 1997 premiership without this key tackle in the preliminary final by one of the fastest men ever to play the game.
Darren Albert came up with his iconic tackle on North Sydney’s Matt Seers when the Knights led 12-4, but the game finished at a tight 17-12 in no small part thanks to Albert.
Moment 4 – Mark Sargent’s hat-trick against Canberra in 1992
Not many props score three tries in a season, let alone in a single game.
Mark Sargent did just that against the Canberra Raiders when the Knights looked like they were heading towards a loss at Marathon Stadium in 1992.
Moment 5 – Nathan Ross’ leaping try in 2016
Nathan Ross has scored plenty of eye-catching tries in his three years of first grade football, but none are better than his absolute beauty against the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2016.
There was no stopping the fan favourite flyer, as he seemed to defy gravity when diving over in the left corner.
Moment 6 – Kurt Gidley’s goal after the siren in 2014
2014 was a tough season for the red and blues, but there were plenty of moments where the team showed their character and determination.
The most memorable came against the Melbourne Storm in Newcastle.
With three minutes left on the clock the Knights trailed 30-20, but by the time an ice cool Kurt Gidley had slotted his sideline conversion after the siren, it was 32-30 in favour of the Knights.
Moment 7 – Knights score 70 points against Canberra in 2006
It was the highest scoring first grade match in history, as the Knights beat the Raiders 70-32 in Canberra.
Andrew Johns was at his brilliant best, scoring four tries in the space of seven minutes at one stage.
Moment 8 – Knights smash Rabbitohs 60-0 in 1999
It was another big score line at Marathon Stadium in 1999, when the Knights recorded their biggest ever win.
Andrew Johns was yet again at his best.
Moment 9 – Akuila Uate breaks the Club try-scoring record in 2014
Timana Tahu held the Club’s try-scoring record for a long time at 91, but in 2014 fan favourite Akuila Uate scored his 92nd against the Wests Tigers.
While the Knights couldn’t get the win on the day, it was a remarkable achievement for the then 26-year-old, who had only played seven seasons of NRL football.
Moment 10 – Danny Buderus’ final home game in 2013
The Knights hammered the Eels 52-6 on the day, but it was the fact that this was Club legend Danny Buderus’ final ever home match that made it special for fans.
Buderus slotted the final conversion of the game – his first ever.
Moment 11 – Finals win over the Storm in 2013
In the same season, Buderus and the Knights staged a stirring win over defending premiers the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park in a semi-final.
The Storm were red hot favourites before kick off, but the Knights put in one of their best ever ‘underdog’ performances.
Moment 12 – Timana Tahu’s intercept try in 2001
One of the most naturally gifted athletes to play for the Club, in 2001 Tahu scored one of his best tries against the Eels.
30 metres out from his own line he intercepted a pass and ran the length of the field, throwing in a celebratory slam dunk on the crossbar to boot.
Moment 13 – Kurt Gidley scores in his final game in 2015
Not many players have served the Club better than Kurt Gidley, and in 2015 he was sent off in style when he scored a try in his final ever match wearing the red and blue.
It was a good solo effort too, as he made a line break from 20 metres out and strolled over for the four points.
Moment 14 – Butterfield scores on full time in 1990 to beat Tigers
To be guaranteed of their first ever finals appearance the Knights needed a win against the Balmain Tigers in the ultimate round of the 1990 season.
Up stepped Tony Butterfield to score the match-winning try on the final siren.
Moment 15 – Darren Albert scores four tries in a game in 2000
In early 2000 Albert broke a Club record, scoring four tries in one match against the Wests Tigers.
His raw pace was on show again, as the Tigers simply had no answers to his runs out wide.
Moment 16 – Chief v Spud in 1995
Paul Harragon was one of the Club’s greatest warriors on the field and a gentleman off it.
When the rivalry was at its height with the Manly Sea Eagles in the 1990s, Harragon had some memorable battles with Mark ‘Spud’ Carroll, the most famous occurring in 1995.
Moment 17 – Kurt Gidley’s golden point winner against the Broncos in 2004
No Andrew Johns, Timana Tahu and Robbie O’Davis? No worries.
The Knights travelled to Brisbane in 2004 with a host of players out injured, and a young Kurt Gidley to lead them.
Nobody gave the Knights a chance of winning, but Gidley came up with the first ever field goal to send the team back down the coast with a 17-16 win.
Moment 18 – Jake Mamo’s superman assist in 2015
Few players boast Jake Mamo’s raw pace, and late in the 2015 season he showed everyone just how fast he was when he chased down an overcooked grubber to palm the ball back into the in-goal and give Carlos Tuimavave an easy try.
Moment 19 – Andrew Johns’ return from injury in 2001
In 2001 Andrew Johns returned from a long-term injury against the Brisbane Broncos at Energy Australia Stadium.
It didn’t take him long to get back up to speed, as the Knights ran out 44-0 victors and Johns scored 20 points.
Moment 20 – Come from behind win against Manly in 2006 finals
At half time it was 12-0 to Manly. At the final siren it was 25-18 in favour of the Knights.
This finals match has to rank as one of the Club’s best ever comeback wins, as Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus and the Gidley brothers were all in fine form.
Moment 21 – First ever game in 1988
The Club’s first ever match came in the form of a trial against Manly.
It was a day that defined the team’s character for the next three decades, as the unfancied Knights beat a team packed with representative stars 24-12.
Moment 22 – Akuila Uate’s try from the kick off in 2010
Uate loves a try, and in 2010 he couldn’t get over the line fast enough against the Sydney Roosters.
It was 12-all when the Knights kicked off, and somehow Uate beat a Roosters player to the high ball 20 metres out from the line.
He then beat three more men to burrow over for the try and leave the Roosters scratching their heads.
Moment 23 – Daniel Saifiti’s run against the Titans in 2017
Is there anything more glorious than seeing a 120-kilogram prop charge up field having brushed off his markers?
Rising star Daniel Saifiti did just that last year against the Titans, as he gained almost 70 metres down the left side.
Moment 24 – Scott Dureau’s field goal against Manly in 2008
Knights fans love a win over Manly, and in 2008 local junior Scott Dureau delivered just that with a thrilling field goal.
The Knights were trailing by six points just minutes before the siren, but a Richard Fa’aoso try set Dureau up to make the final score 13-12.
Moment 25 – First ever competitive win in 1988
While the red and blues won their trial match against Manly during the pre-season, the Club had to wait a little longer for its first competitive victory.
It came against the Magpies in Round 2, with captain Sam Stewart also scoring his first try for the Club.
