āI put a bomb up and [Saifiti] half hit me in the air,ā Gamble said before the Knightsā chaotic, extra-time win over Canberra, in which the Newcastle No.6 claimed Wighton bit him early in the second half. Gamble is instead recalling his first visit to the city, while playing at the Broncos scrumbase last year.
āI laid on the ground, milked the penalty, bounced back up and then the whole crowd was booing me. I was on the screen smiling, carrying on.
āJ-Saf let me know about it at the time and then [again] as soon as I got here. It was a great start with the Newcastle fans.ā
Theyāve quickly come around though, and rightly so. Gamble was in anything and everything against the Raiders. Setting up tries, conceding them, charging down field goals, cramping like nothing else, and of course reeling out of that tackle on Wighton.
Knights five-eighth Tyson Gamble and Canterbury captain Reed Mahoney exchange pleasantries.Credit: NRL Photos
The incident was the flashpoint of the finals, and continued the rugby league theme that has characterised Gambleās approach and career to date.
āMight have been a few too many beers, Iām not too sure,ā he said with a grin, confirming that his parents missed the second half of his debut for Wests Tigers at Campbelltown in 2018.
In between, Gamble has spent five years becoming an overnight success with the Knights. Alongside Jackson Hastings, he half of an unlikely Newcastle halves pairing that has helped steer the club from the bottom four less than three months ago to a 10-game winning streak, a third straight sellout crowd and a semi-final against the Warriors on Saturday.
Two years ago, a return to the tools ā as an electrician, where he started on $8.30 an hour ā looked more likely.
Worth the Gamble: Happy times in the Hunter for Newcastleās No,6.Credit: NRL Photos
āIād been full-time for four years, had played three games and I was off contract,ā the former Bronco said.
āThat 2021 season was a tough year for Brisbane and I got an opportunity in a game against the Titans.
āI looked at myself and said, āThis is it. Youāre about to play your fourth game in your fourth year. You either take it now, or this might not be the career path for you.ā
āFortunately enough, I played really well that game. We were down by something like 20-0 in 20 minutes. But we came back and I think I got man of the match.
āI sort of realised that if I knuckle down and look after myself, I can actually make a career of this. That was a bit of a turning point in my career. It was make or break: you either take this opportunity or get back on the tools.ā
Twenty-two games for Newcastle this year is the result of Gamble taking his latest opportunity. Bonuses triggered by that game time
take his cut-price contract to more than $200,000 next season.
Assistant coach Blake Greenās influence has helped the 27-year-old get ahead of the game and ākeep my perspective around the ruckā.
āIām not suddenly hit with, āPlay the ball right now, Iāve got to do this, this and thisā,ā he said. āAnd with Jacko [Hastings] on the ball a lot, I get that extra time to see whatās happening on the field, where defenders are tired or not really in the line.ā