Knightmare
Coach
- Messages
- 10,716
I started going to games and watching the Knights games each weekend on TV when I was 14. While it's true that having among the best teams to have played for us and usually winning at home (as well as getting great numbers away) helped my enthusiasm along, I also loved that even if they lost, the Knights were a good chance at putting in. They generally at least made the game a contest and made you feel proud even in defeat. Proud that you helped make the atmosphere at Marathon Stadium what it was. Proud that despite being at the enemy's home ground, so many other people made the effort to come and give as much of a shit about this team as you did- and the opposition fans noticed. Proud that, against the News Limited owned might of the Broncos or the chequebook Roosters, here was a team full of players who were not only great, but spirited- and from the very town they represented. Proud that 9 times out of 10, the team would reward you for giving a shit by giving a shit about the result themselves. Proud when the Knights would be labelled "Everyones' second favourite team". I remember being on a train in Sydney, coming back from a game against Cronulla and an opposition fan said to me that "If every teams fans followed their team the way Knights fans do, the game would be so much better". And they proved their credentials with silverware. Why wouldn't you see a point to investing your time/ emotion in that?
Fast forward to today and there are more than a few reasons (too long in detail to cover here) why the club has gone in the direction it has since 2001. Despite living interstate and only managing to go to a handful of Knights games in any given season, I find myself wondering how much I would go even if I still lived close enough to easily make their season's home fixtures? There is a different vibe about the club these days. Even at home games, there's not the same enthusiasm about the team or about their purpose. How many away teams genuinely feel any sort of intimidation about coming to our home ground? It's reflected in the decision-making at the club as well, which has been documented enough already. There is no ambition, no feeling of a real desire to be the best or at least give the fans reason to believe in showing up and making the effort. These days it's not a huge deal if I miss a game on TV- underwhelming results don't help- but even going to the game doesn't have the same buzz it used to. Surely it's not just me getting older- more often than not, attending a Knights game feels like pure tokenism. Even if they win, coming away feels less like "F**k yeah we won!" and more like "Thank f**k they didn't make me end up feeling like I wasted my time/ money." Then I look at the treatment other teams get compared to the Knights and I get the impression these days that we only exist on the outer periphery of the NRL's consciousness. We are a token presence, nothing more. They'd rather keep the same 5 or 6 clubs happy every year and it shows in the Grand Final rap sheet of the last 15 years. The NRL is in no hurry to help us towards another Premiership, so what's the point in giving a shit? Perhaps if the Knights turn it around from here and give me renewed hope, but for the moment my passion for following the team is largely running on tokenism...
Fast forward to today and there are more than a few reasons (too long in detail to cover here) why the club has gone in the direction it has since 2001. Despite living interstate and only managing to go to a handful of Knights games in any given season, I find myself wondering how much I would go even if I still lived close enough to easily make their season's home fixtures? There is a different vibe about the club these days. Even at home games, there's not the same enthusiasm about the team or about their purpose. How many away teams genuinely feel any sort of intimidation about coming to our home ground? It's reflected in the decision-making at the club as well, which has been documented enough already. There is no ambition, no feeling of a real desire to be the best or at least give the fans reason to believe in showing up and making the effort. These days it's not a huge deal if I miss a game on TV- underwhelming results don't help- but even going to the game doesn't have the same buzz it used to. Surely it's not just me getting older- more often than not, attending a Knights game feels like pure tokenism. Even if they win, coming away feels less like "F**k yeah we won!" and more like "Thank f**k they didn't make me end up feeling like I wasted my time/ money." Then I look at the treatment other teams get compared to the Knights and I get the impression these days that we only exist on the outer periphery of the NRL's consciousness. We are a token presence, nothing more. They'd rather keep the same 5 or 6 clubs happy every year and it shows in the Grand Final rap sheet of the last 15 years. The NRL is in no hurry to help us towards another Premiership, so what's the point in giving a shit? Perhaps if the Knights turn it around from here and give me renewed hope, but for the moment my passion for following the team is largely running on tokenism...
