2009 Newcastle Knights season

The 2009 Newcastle Knights season was the 22nd in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 7th (out of 16), reaching the play-offs for the first time since 2006. The Knights were then knocked out of the finals in the first week by the Bulldogs.

Season summary

The Knights won 9 consecutive games at EnergyAustralia Stadium, breaking the previous home record of 8. Season 2009 also saw coach Brian Smith sacked after announcing on July 19 that he had signed a four-year deal with the Sydney Roosters, and subsequently the team faltered as they lost three consecutive games until Newcastle officials dismissed Smith and appointed assistant coach Rick Stone. The season began well for the Knights with the side winning 7 of their opening 10 games and were sitting equal first with the Bulldogs, St. George Illawarra and the Gold Coast with 14 points. However, during the representative season, the Knights struggled and went through a bad period of 7 losses in 11 games, the last three losses were recorded after news broke of Smith's departure from the club. With Stone in charge, the Knights won 3 of their last 4 games to secure 7th place and a finals berth for the first time since 2006.

Match results
RoundOpponentResultScoreVenueDateCrowd
1 Gold Coast TitansLost20-34Skilled ParkSunday, March 1516,203
2 Cronulla SharksWon24-12Toyota StadiumMonday, March 2311,148
3 South Sydney RabbitohsLost12-22Bluetongue StadiumSunday, March 2915,227
4 Manly Sea EaglesWon26-12EnergyAustralia StadiumSunday, April 515,324
5 New Zealand WarriorsWon24-22EnergyAustralia StadiumSunday, April 1213,626
6 St. George Illawarra DragonsWon24-18WIN Jubilee StadiumSaturday, April 1814,477
7 Wests TigersLost24-26Campbelltown StadiumSunday, April 2617,898
8 Brisbane BroncosWon28-12EnergyAustralia StadiumSaturday, May 218,154
9 Gold Coast TitansWon23-18EnergyAustralia StadiumSunday, May 1011,258
10 Sydney RoostersWon38-6Sydney Football StadiumSaturday, May 168,611
11 North Queensland CowboysLost10-36Dairy Farmers StadiumMonday, May 2511,892
12 BulldogsWon22-14EnergyAustralia StadiumSunday, May 3118,322
13 Parramatta EelsLost18-20EnergyAustralia StadiumSunday, June 718,085
14 New Zealand WarriorsLost0-13Mt. Smart StadiumFriday, June 1214,255
15BYE
16 South Sydney RabbitohsWon25-20EnergyAustralia StadiumMonday, June 2914,204
17 Melbourne StormLost14-18Olympic ParkSaturday, July 49,041
18 Canberra RaidersWon23-4EnergyAustralia StadiumSaturday, July 1115,355
19BYE
20 Manly Sea EaglesLost20-44Bluetongue StadiumFriday, July 2415,857
21 Sydney RoostersLost18-30EnergyAustralia StadiumSaturday, August 115,112
22 Parramatta EelsLost8-40Parramatta StadiumSunday, August 917,669
23 Melbourne StormWon26-14EnergyAustralia StadiumMonday, August 1713,580
24 North Queensland CowboysWon32-26EnergyAustralia StadiumSaturday, August 2215,408
25 Canberra RaidersLost14-30Canberra StadiumMonday, August 319,400
26 Penrith PanthersWon35-0EnergyAustralia StadiumSunday, September 622,152
QF BulldogsLost12-26ANZ StadiumSaturday, September 1221,369

NRL Standings
Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2417072548329+21938
2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2418062575428+14738*
3 Gold Coast Titans 2416082514467+4736
4 Melbourne Storm 2414192505348+15733
5 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24140102549439+9032
6 Brisbane Broncos 24140102511566−5532
7 Newcastle Knights 24130112508491+1730
8 Parramatta Eels 24121112476473+329
9 Wests Tigers 24120122558483+7528
10 South Sydney Rabbitohs 24111122566549+1727
11 Penrith Panthers 24111122515589−7427
12 North Queensland Cowboys 24110132558474+8426
13 Canberra Raiders 2490152489510−3122
14 New Zealand Warriors 2472152377545−18820
15 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2450192359568−20914
16 Sydney Roosters 2450192382681−29914

* Bulldogs stripped of 2 competition points after an interchange breach in round 2

2009 Squad
Newcastle Knights 2009 Full-time Squad
Player Position DOB (Age) Height Weight Junior Club Previous Club(s)
Cameron Ciraldo Second Row, Lock 30/10/1984 (24) 197 cm 103 kg Menai Cronulla Sharks
Ben Cross Prop 06/12/1978 (30) 190 cm 110 kg Batemans Bay Canberra Raiders, Melbourne Storm
Isaac de Gois Hooker 24/12/1984 (24) 180 cm 85 kg All Saints Liverpool Cronulla Sharks, Wests Tigers
Scott Dureau Halfback 29/07/1986 (23) 173 cm 82 kg Port Macquarie Sharks Nil
Joel Edwards Prop, Second Row Cessnock Goannas Nil
Richard Fa'aoso Prop, Second Row 08/05/1984 (25) 182 cm 104 kg North Aspley Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels
Jimmy Fawcett Fullback 21/04/1988 (21) 191 cm 86 kg Umina Bunnies Canterbury Bulldogs
Kurt Gidley (C) (GK) Fullback, 5/8 07/07/1982 (27) 178 cm 89 kg Wests Newcastle Nil
Matt Hilder Lock, Hooker 30/04/1982 (27) 184 cm 94 kg Cronulla Caringbah Cronulla Sharks, Gold Coast Titans
Chris Houston Second Row, Lock 15/02/1985 (24) 193 cm 106 kg Narooma St George Illawarra Dragons
Marvin Karawana Hooker, Lock 30/07/1986 (23) 181 cm 98 kg Wainui Lions Canterbury Bulldogs
Keith Lulia Centre, Wing 17/06/1987 (22) 190 cm 97 kg Port Kembla St George Illawarra Dragons
Adam MacDougall Centre, Wing 08/05/1975 (34) 183 cm 95 kg Harbord Diggers Sydney Roosters, South Sydney
Luke MacDougall Centre, Wing 05/02/1982 (27) 183 cm 94 kg Cronulla Caringbah Cronulla Sharks, South Sydney Rabbitohs, St George Illawarra Dragons
Shannon McDonnell Fullback, Wing - Wests Tigers
James McManus Wing, Centre 15/01/1986 (24) 186 cm 91 kg Palmerston Raiders Nil
Constantine Mika Second Row, Lock 14/09/1989 (19) 183 cm 98 kg - New Zealand Warriors
Jarrod Mullen 5/8, Halfback 09/04/1987 (22) 179 cm 88 kg Taree Panthers, Wests Newcastle, Old Bar Pirates Nil
Wes Naiqama Centre, Wing, Fullback 19/10/1982 (26) 184 cm 95 kg Arncliffe Scots St George Illawarra Dragons
Tim Natusch Prop 03/07/1986 (23) 184 cm 108 kg Wellington (NZ) Nil
George Ndaira Hooker 22/02/1985 (23) 175 cm 88 kg Arncliffe Scots St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cory Paterson Second Row, Lock 14/07/1987 (22) 195 cm 107 kg South Perth Lions Nil
Ben Rogers 5/8, Lock 26/04/1985 (24) 184 cm 92 kg St Dominics St George Illawarra Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers
Junior Sa'u Centre 18/04/1987 (22) 173 cm 102 kg Logan Brothers Canberra Raiders
Steve Simpson Second Row 27/09/1979 (29) 191 cm 103 kg Singleton Greyhounds Nil
Zeb Taia Lock, Second Row 11/10/1984 (24) 185 cm 106 kg St Clair Comets Parramatta Eels
Mark Taufua Second Row, Prop 24/10/1981 (27) 187 cm 104 kg Woodberry Warriors Nil
Daniel Tolar Prop, Second Row 11/04/1982 (27) 188 cm 103 kg Central Charlestown Nil
Sione Tovo Prop 19/07/1988 (21) 178 cm 110 kg Mascot Jets South Sydney Rabbitohs
Akuila Uate Wing 6/10/1987 (21) 185 cm 94 kg Woy Woy Nil
Cooper Vuna Wing, Centre 05/07/1987 (22) 194 cm 103 kg Otahuhu Leopards New Zealand Warriors
Danny Wicks Prop 05/12/1985 (23) 190 cm 124 kg Grafton Ghosts St George Illawarra Dragons

Sources
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