Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Rugby league means a little bit more to people in Newcastle than your average fan base, which is why last week’s unprecedented upset win over the Panthers literally brought grown men to tears.
And it wasn’t just any old men, with club legends Andrew and Matthew Johns breaking down as Sandon Smith sprinted away to eliminate Penrith.
Andrew couldn’t speak in commentary on Channel 9, while his brother fought through the tears as he explained the importance of the win on the Matty Johns Show.
“I didn’t realise the effect we can have on people’s lives,” young gun Cody Hopwood said.
“Those old boys, they served this club unbelievably, so to repay them in some small way is pretty rewarding.
“And with the town, they weren’t the only two people crying. I’ve heard so many stories of friends, family, and outside fans that were just so emotional after that.
“I think every pub in Newcastle was going off. People didn’t even know each other, but they were hugging each other.
“Hearing those sorts of stories, you never realise the effect you can have on people’s lives. It makes a positive impact in some small way. It’s not something I’ll take for granted, and it’s pretty special.”
The Johns brothers will forever be Newcastle legends after they helped them win their first premiership in 1997.
But anyone who pulls on a Knights jersey is treated like royalty in the community, which explains why so many fans braved the elements on Sunday night to welcome them home after pulling off the impossible in Sydney.
That was after many of them were stuck in traffic delays trying to get to Sydney, while some train trips took four hours.
“The support that we had at the game on the weekend was great, and then we got home at 10.30 and it was pouring down rain and there were still people lined up outside their cars with their kids,” edge forward Dylan Lucas said.
“Then we get back here and there’s another couple of hundred here waiting for us to get off the bus.
“I think that shows how much it means to this town and how much support we’ve got here in Newy. It’s crazy, they love their footy here. Everyone knows that.
“Even over the last couple of years, if we haven’t been going great, they still turn up to McDonald Jones Stadium and they sell that place out.
“I think that shows how loyal they are, and now that we’re getting the results they deserve and giving them something to cheer about, everyone’s starting to see how loyal they really are and how great our fans are.”
If this is how they celebrate after a preliminary final, you can only imagine what the town will look like if they beat the Roosters.
“I think that’s just that feeling and emotion that you can’t really explain, and that a lot of people probably don’t understand about playing for the Knights,” winger Dom Young said.
“I think once you’ve played here, then you get it. But from an outsider looking in, it’s pretty hard to describe just what it means to the playing group to put the jersey on every week.
“It’s cool to see all the fans’ reactions and how proud everyone is of the team, but you can only start to think what they’d be like if we actually managed to get the job done (on Sunday). That’s our goal, and that’s what we feel confident doing.”
Mark Hughes, Paul Harragon, the Johns brothers and other old boys paved the way for this club, and that’s not lost on the current generation.
“The reason you play this game and we play for this club is to honour the values of this club,” Lucas said.
“They’re the ones that paved the way for us, and you’re always trying to make the old boys proud by the way that you’re playing your footy.
“To see the response that we’re getting from the old boys this year, and for them to be the way they were after the game, it shows the impact that you can have on people in this community when the town’s going well.
“If they’re emotional like that, you can only imagine what the rest of the fans are like at their homes when that final siren went.
“There are a few videos getting around of the pubs when it was done. To be able to bring that much joy to a town is not something that we take lightly, and I’m definitely grateful for the opportunity.”
It’s not just the former players getting emotional, with powerhouse winger Greg Marzhew showing off his goosebumps when reliving Smith’s try.
Everyone working in rugby league has been inundated with messages from their mates asking if they can get their hands on tickets to see if the team that won last year’s wooden spoon can complete the greatest turnaround in history.
There are stories of fans painting their houses red and blue, proof that these aren’t just bandwagon supporters happy to see their team in a grand final.
“It doesn’t feel real at the moment. It still hasn’t kicked in,” Marzhew said.
“Maybe it’ll kick in when we run out and take it all in. Maybe that’s what I’m waiting for, but even last week it didn’t kick in. We were in prelims and I think I’m wired to get the job done first.
“I was all the way in the back, putting my arms up and having a rest (when Smith scored). I knew he was gone and I was in shock. I seriously couldn’t believe it.
“I stood there and I looked at the fans and they were just screaming their heads off. I’m still getting goosebumps just thinking about it. It’s crazy. What a time.
“It’s still giving me chills. There is so much passion that goes into this game, and then we have our community. They just turn up no matter how good or how bad we are going. There are no words, there’s no way I can explain it.
“Those pictures on the weekend, I’m glad they turned up and I’m glad everyone saw it because now I can refer them to an image of what it feels like to be a Newcastle player and to live here in a community that’s here.
“Whenever I talk about Newcastle now, I’ll say go watch our prelim, go watch that.”
