When brothers Andrew and Matthew Johns helped lead nan Knights to triumph successful nan 1997 expansive final, it was nan first clip Newcastle had lifted nan trophy.
Now, sisters Hannah and Jesse Southwell are trying to do thing nan Johns brothers ne'er did: triumph back-to-back premierships.
Knights sisters Jesse (left) and Hannah Southwell.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Newcastle’s NRLW broadside defeated nan Eels successful past year’s decider and are among nan favourites again this play aft finishing apical of nan ladder.
“We’re trying to build a spot of a bequest and a dynasty astatine Newcastle,” Hannah said earlier nan season. Now nan Knights are connected nan cusp of a 2nd expansive last quality successful 2 years, but first they person to hit nan Broncos astatine location successful Sunday’s semi-final.
“We’ve still sewage a agelong measurement to go. We’ve sewage a occupation this weekend, and past hopefully we make nan expansive final,” said Hannah, arsenic she reflected connected her pre-season comments.
“But, yes, I tin spot it [the dynasty] slow starting to hap for us. We conscionable request to not get up of ourselves and make judge we enactment successful nan present and now. I decidedly judge successful this squad and successful this club, and we’ve sewage awesome unit astir america and a awesome halfway group. Hopefully, it happens for us.”
Andrew and Matthew Johns pinch their begetter Gary aft nan 1997 expansive final.Credit: Action Photographics
The Knights person mislaid 10 of nan players who were portion of their 2022 premiership-winning team, including playmaker Kirra Dibb and co-captain Millie Boyle. There were questions astir really they would backmost up successful 2023.
But aft winning 8 of their 9 regular-season games, including a broad triumph complete favourites nan Roosters successful information eight, nan Knights claimed nan club’s first insignificant premiership – men’s aliases women’s.
“We’ve conscionable sewage girls successful nan squad that want to triumph and play footy for nan present and now,” Hannah said.
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“They’re not reasoning astir nan early aliases making an world jersey aliases an Origin jersey, we’ve conscionable sewage girls wanting to play for Newcastle and conscionable win; triumph each crippled arsenic it comes. We’ve instilled that thrust and that civilization successful nan playing group, and everyone’s bought in.”
The insignificant premiership has secured a semi-final astatine McDonald Jones Stadium – thing Hannah dreamt of arsenic a child.
“For a young woman who was calved successful Newcastle, that went to nan boys’ games arsenic a small woman and thought, ‘I want to do that’ – but thing was astir erstwhile I was a young girl. We had nary pathways aliases anything,” she said.
“So, to person that now and to spot nan crowds not only move up, but move up successful nan masses is thing that I didn’t deliberation I’d spot successful my lifetime. It benignant of gives you goosebumps, and it’s for illustration a pinch maine moment.”
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