She is a mother to six, a grandmother to 18, a great-grandmother to - "I've lost count, but I'm up to about 40, and I think I'm up to four or five great-great-grandkids".

But the family photos have to share the prime positions in this house. The walls are crowded with images of rugby league players.

After all, Elaine Roberts is also a Knights Nanna.

The 83-year-old is a founding member of the renowned supporters' group of mostly older women. Since 1988, Mrs Roberts has hardly missed a home game. She has experienced the good times and bad, from the joy of premiership victories to the sting of wooden spoons.

So in a year that held so much promise, she is disappointed to see the Knights ending the 2019 season in turmoil, with coach Nathan Brown gone, and a lot of confusion swirling around his departure.

"I would like to know the full truth," Mrs Roberts says, as she sits in her Knights Nannas shirt. "There are too many unanswered questions going around."

And the first question she would ask: "How come they wanted to get rid of Nathan Brown?"

"He's such a lovely fella. Look at what he's brought to the club. He's brought top-class players, and we've now got a great team. They just haven't performed in several games. Why, I don't know."

Now that Brown has left the club, Mrs Roberts hopes it will "give time for the boys to sit and think about what's happened, and, perhaps for the next two games, play - for goodness sake!"

After the Knights were trounced by the West Tigers, 46-4, on Saturday, the team has been lambasted for its lacklustre effort. Some fans have declared they would boycott this weekend's match against the Titans, which is the final home game for the season.

But Elaine Roberts won't hear of a boycott.

"Definitely not, because you've got to try to think these boys are going to lift, and you've got to give them encouragement," she says.

And if the players don't put in the effort, they can expect the wrath of a Nanna, as she grasps her Knights logo-decorated walking stick.

"Listen here!," Mrs Roberts begins her message to the players. "If you don't get in and do it, see this walking stick?!

"I hope they get the spirit back this weekend."

Read more:

Elaine Roberts is a supporter whose loyalty is not easily lost. Her walls reflect that. In the entry hangs a poster of Jarrod Mullen - "I'll never tear him down" - and one of former Knight, now Rabbitoh, Dane Gagai: "I'm thinking of taking him down."

No big photos of Nathan Brown are on display, but he occupies a place in this Knights Nanna's heart.

"I'd say to Nathan, we still love you very much, and we hope you can build your life up and enjoy it," she says. "You've done a great job, as far as I'm concerned."

So on Saturday, Elaine Roberts will be in her season-ticket seat for the game against the Titans, and the pensioner has already set aside the money to buy her membership for next year.

"I love my Knights," she says. "I'll still be there."

A new season brings new hope - and perhaps new faces to display on the walls.

READ MORE ON THE NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS:

While you're with us, did you know Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here.