In the chaotic world of contracts and player movement, it’s easy to lose track of where players end up.
That's why newcastleknights.com.au have done some digging and tracked the movements of the nib Newcastle Knights' 2018 departures, in order to check in on where their careers and lives have taken them since they moved on from the Club.
Jack Cogger
A young half, Cogger left the Knights at the end of 2018 to chase regular game-time at Canterbury.
Injuries to first choice halves Kieran Foran and Lachlan Lewis saw Cogger play 17 games in blue and white, scoring three tries.
2020 wasn't as fruitful a season for the young half, with Cogger only clocking five games before signing with English Club Huddersfield for 2021.
Nick Meaney
A Ballina junior, Nick Meaney departed the Knights after slipping down the No.1 pecking order following the arrival of Kalyn Ponga.
Meaney followed Cogger to Canterbury, where he has achieved regular game-time on the wing and at fullback, as well as proving himself to be a handy goal-kicker.
Meaney will remain at the Bulldogs for the 2021 season.
Chris Heighington
After 338 first grade games at the Tigers, Sharks and Knights, Heighington called time on an illustrious career at the end of the 2018 season.
Since hanging up the boots, Heighington has picked up a regular slot as a sideline eye for the ABC Grandstand commentary team, and can often be seen and heard at ground level of Newcastle Knights home games.
Heighington has also spent time focussing on his business, Chris Heighington Sports Performance, and did some work with Connor Watson in the 2020 pre-season.
He is also an ambassador for Bowel Cancer Australia and One Solutions.
Brock Lamb
An Australian Schoolboys rep, Brock Lamb was a mainstay for the Knights from 2016-2018.
With Mitchell Pearce having a monopoly on the No.7 jumper and a wealth of competition for the five-eighth role, Lamb transferred to the Sydney Roosters in 2019 as an understudy to Cooper Cronk.
Lamb managed just one game for the Roosters, ironically against the Knights, before a lack of opportunity again saw him on the move, this time mid-season to Super League with the London Broncos.
Lamb played six games for the London side before they were relegated. This saw him return to Australia where he eventually ended up back at his junior Club, the Maitland Pickers, after initially signing and back-flipping on a two year deal with Parramatta.
Lamb led the Pickers to a fairytale Presidents Cup title last year, and looks likely to go around again with the Club in 2021.
Pat Mata'utia
The second youngest of the Mata'utia brothers, Pat left the Knights two seasons ago after notching 14 NRL appearances, all in 2016.
Mata'utia opted to leave the NRL and instead turned to local football, winning a Grand Final with Wests in 2019 before shifting to Maitland, where he played his role alongside Lamb to deliver the Pickers a Presidents Cup title in 2020.
