Newcastle Museum issues call to arms to rugby league fans

Knights' superstars Kalyn Ponga and Hannah Southwell have kicked off Newcastle Museum's crusade to immortalise the history of rugby league in the region.

The NRL and NRLW captains have donated signed jerseys as the Museum begins a campaign to create a landmark exhibition in 2027 that will celebrate the Knight’s 40^th anniversary season and 120 years of rugby league in the Hunter.

City of Newcastle is now inviting rugby league fans, current and former players, officials and referees to be part of this momentous project by donating original objects that will help tell the story of the game in our region and detail the rich history of the Knights.

Newcastle Knights CEO Philip Gardner, Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning Julie Baird, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Knights NRLW captain Hannah Southwell, Knights NRL captain Kalyn Ponga, Knights legend Danny Buderus and Newcastle Rugby League General Manager Adam Devcich at the announcement of Newcastle Museum's landmark exhibition.Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the exhibition will demonstrate why Newcastle is considered the heartland of rugby league.

"The Newcastle Rebels helped form the NSW Premiership in 1908 and our region has gone on to produce some of the greatest players of all time including Clive Churchill, Wally Prigg and Les Johns," Cr Nelmes said.

"That list has only grown since the establishment of the Knights in 1988, and this exhibition will examine the role the club has played in shaping local identity through a period of significant change for Novocastrians.

"The men's team winning grand finals in 1997 and 2001 led to a surge in civic pride with street parades and major celebrations, and that tradition has continued with our all-conquering Newcastle NRLW side winning back-to-back premierships in 2022 and 2023.

"The exhibition will blend original objects and archival footage with stories of staff, players, and fans to place the story of the Knights in a broader celebration of Newcastle’s expansive history with rugby league."

Knights CEO Philip Gardner said Newcastle has always been a rugby league town.

"Newcastle has one of the oldest competitions in Australia and the fans waited a long time to have a presence on the national stage," Mr Gardner said.

"Since 1988 our members and fans have continued to demonstrate they're among the most passionate in the competition and I'm sure they'll want to contribute to this historic collection."

Ponga has lived in Western Australia, Queensland and New Zealand but after signing with the Knights in 2017 now calls Newcastle home. 

"It's an honour to donate a jersey from my Dally-M winning season to a collection that will highlight the importance of the Knights to the community," Ponga said. 

"I love playing footy for our Novocastrian community. We don't have fans, we have genuine supporters, who stick with us through the good times and the bad."

Kotara Bears junior Hannah Southwell grew up following the Knights, watching the likes of the Johns brothers, Paul Harragon and Danny Buderus. 

“I'm so proud to be a part of the history of this amazing club," Southwell said. 

"Newcastle is a town built on hard work and earning the respect of the people, it's unique to all other places around the world. 

“It’s not just about winning or losing, it’s about how you perform and giving it your all every time you represent the people of this region."

General Manager Adam Devcich said the Newcastle Rugby League competition is among the strongest in NSW.

"Newcastle has long been one of the great rugby league nurseries," Mr Devcich said.

"This exhibition is a terrific opportunity to showcase the outstanding talent of generations past, such as the 2008 Newcastle Rugby League Team of the Century and the 1964 State Cup winning team.

"It can also show the strength of the current players, including the modern version of the Newcastle Rebels who have won the past two NSWRL men’s Country Championships."

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning Julie Baird said Newcastle Museum is looking to build a permanent Newcastle Knights collection that can facilitate a temporary exhibition and also commemorate the significant story of the history of rugby league in our city in perpetuity.

"The collection will help to expand our ability to tell the story of the Knights, ensuring future generations will be able to learn about the club's impact for years to come," Ms Baird said.

"Rugby league grew out of the working-class roots of our city and the sport is bound to our identity and history.

"This will be a major self-curated exhibition. It will require significant research, development, community engagement and object sourcing via loans and donations, and will also help to launch celebrations for Newcastle Museum's 40th anniversary in 2028."

Anyone wishing to donate items to the Knights Collection can visit the Newcastle Museum website for more details.

Rugby League Fast Facts

• Newcastle was one of nine foundation clubs in the inaugural New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1908 after breaking away from the local rugby union competition.
• The Newcastle Rugby League competition formed in 1910, featuring four teams.
• The Newcastle Knights were established in 1988, taking the total number of clubs in the NSW Rugby League competition to 16.
• A dispute over broadcasting rights saw the formation of two top-flight rugby league competitions in Australia in 1997, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and Super League.
• The Knights won the 1997 ARL grand final in Sydney, defeating the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 22 points to 16.
• The game reunited in 1998 with the formation of the National Rugby League (NRL).
• The Knights won their second premiership, defeating the Parramatta Eels 30 points to 24 in the first ever night-time grand final in Sydney.
• The NRL Women's Premiership (NRLW) formed in 2018 with four teams.
• The Newcastle Knights entered the NRLW in 2021 and failed to secure a win.
• The Knights won the NRLW grand final in Sydney in 2022, defeating the Parramatta Eels 32 points to 12.
• The Knights claimed back-to-back premierships, defeating the Gold Coast Titans 24 points to 18 in the 2023 NRLW grand final.

Newcastle Museum Fast Facts

• Newcastle Museum was established in 1988 in the restored former Castlemaine Brewery in Newcastle West as a major Bicentennial project.
• It temporarily closed in 2008 to allow for its shift to the former Honeysuckle Railways Workshop, which was the original preferred site for the Museum.
• The relocation involved the major refurbishment of the three existing Heritage-listed railway buildings. The Locomotive Boiler Shop is now home to Supernova, the New Erecting Shop is home to Fire and Earth, and the Blacksmith’s and Wheel Shop now house enclosed exhibition spaces and the theatrette. A new Link Building was constructed to form a connection between these spaces and contains the main public foyer and orientation spaces.
• The museum re-opened on 4 August 2011. In the first six months it welcomed 100,000 visitors through the doors to explore the innovative and interactive new displays.
• Newcastle Museum welcomed its two millionth visitor to the Honeysuckle site in July 2024.