Oh What A Knight! | 2001 NRL Grand Final Screening

To celebrate 25 years since the Newcastle Knights won the 2001 NRL Grand Final, The Hamo is airing the game in full - a replay ripped from an original VHS recording (ads and all!)

Brian Smith-coached Parramatta cut a blistering, record-breaking path to the 2001 Grand Final. The blue-and-golds won 20 and drew two of their 26 games to finish five points clear as minor premiers. They scored an unprecedented 839 points, including 142 tries. After demolishing the eighth-placed Warriors 56-12 in week one of the playoffs, the Eels put their gut-wrenching 1998-2000 preliminary final defeats behind them with a high-quality 26-18 victory over defending champs Brisbane. The addition of veteran halves Jason Taylor and Michael Buettner was an ideal foil for effervescent backs Brett Hodgson, Jamie Lyon, Luke Burt and PJ Marsh. A youthful-but-well-rounded pack featured captain Nathan Cayless, Nathan Hindmarsh, Michael Vella and Daniel Wagon.

Third-placed Newcastle flew under the radar somewhat under rookie coach Michael Hagan. The club overcame the controversial axing of Knights great Matthew Johns to win 16 regular-season games on the back of another virtuoso season from Andrew Johns, who also took on the captaincy. ‘Joey’, Timana Tahu, Darren Albert, Mark Hughes, Adam MacDougall and destructive back-rower Ben Kennedy would all finish the season with 14-plus tries for the tough, freewheeling Knights. They put away the Roosters and Sharks in the finals to book a spot in the big one.

But all the hype leading into the decider surrounded the Eels, installed as resounding $1.40 favourites giving away a 7.5-point start. The scene was set for one of the great Grand Final boilovers.