Expectations around Newcastle’s premiership hopes at the start of 2001 were decidedly muted. Rookie coach Michael Hagan succeeded Warren Ryan on the back of the club’s controversial 2000 campaign, which also resulted in the acrimonious departure of club legend Matthew Johns.
Meanwhile, critics pointed to the loss of veteran forward trio Tony Butterfield, David Fairleigh and Peter Shiels as the prime obstacle to the Knights remaining among the NRL’s contenders.
Finishing third despite a couple of flat spots during the season, the Knights disposed of the Roosters and Sharks during the playoffs to qualify for the club’s second grand final.
But they were billed as rank outsiders heading into the decider against runaway minor premier Parramatta. The Brian Smith-coached side had smashed the all-time record for most points in a season, lost just one of their last 18 games and had few discernible weaknesses.
Man for man, many judges believed the Eels’ biggest advantage over the Knights was up front – where Parramatta and New Zealand captain Nathan Cayless and Australian Test prop Michael Vella were pitted against towering ex-Souths journeyman Matt Parsons and rookie Josh Perry.
But it was Parsons and Perry who set the tone as Newcastle effectively hijacked the NRL trophy by surging to a 24-0 halftime lead, outpointing their highly-rated counterparts.
“I wasn’t really worried [about critics’ opinions of the Knights’ pack] because our team and ‘Hages’ knew how well we were going,” Parsons, who ironically had been cut by Smith at St George before even making it to first grade, explained post-match.
“I’m very proud of [Perry]. People don’t realise that the bloke’s only 20 years of age. To stand up like that in a grand final like he did tonight against two rep front-rowers – I couldn’t be more happy for him.”
The Knights’ collective engine-room effort spearheaded the first-half landslide.
Thirty-one-year-old lock Bill Peden, the only forward survivor from the club’s 1997 grand final triumph, scored an unlikely double. Tyro Steve Simpson, who cemented a starting role on the way to winning the Knights’ 2001 player of the year award, scored their second try and produced an equally vital try-saver on Andrew Ryan. The rampaging Ben Kennedy – spurred by his representative axing midseason – skittled a slew of defenders to reach out for Newcastle’s fourth.
“Everyone said all year [the forwards] were our weak link,” cult hero winger Adam MacDougall praised.
“They’ve proved everyone wrong. You can’t win a competition with a weak forward pack.”
The uplifting individual stories extended to the Newcastle interchange bench.
Underrated veteran Paul Marquet began his first-grade career with Newcastle in 1990 but joined the Hunter Mariners for their sole season – missing the Knights’ 1997 premiership. He went on to win a grand final with Melbourne in 1999 before returning home in 2001.
After joining the Knights the previous season, prop Glenn Grief had his 1997 season wiped out by injury. He would play just one game for South Sydney in 2002 before retiring. Former Queensland Origin rep Clinton O’Brien had played just one finals match prior to 2001 in a nomadic four-club career.
At the other end of the experience scale, 20-year-old back-rower Daniel Abraham – a converted fullback – was playing just his 14th NRL game.
Incomparable halfback and captain Andrew Johns added the polish on his way to the Clive Churchill Medal in a 30-24 triumph. Three late Parramatta tries painted a somewhat skewed scoreboard picture of an undeniably one-sided affair – and arguably the biggest grand final upset since Balmain shocked Souths in 1969.
Parsons stayed with the Knights until hanging up the boots in 2004, while Perry debuted for NSW in 2003 and broke into the Australian team after helping Manly to a grand final win in 2008.
