Four club banners, countless players, door knocking for sponsors, representative honours and regular bus trips to Sydney.
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Dual international Bec Young recalls a decade-long journey flying the flag for women's rugby league in the Hunter region, helping lead to Sunday's NRLW grand final appearance by the Newcastle Knights.
Young and husband Mick, a former Knights player, combined forces to start a senior squad from scratch a decade ago and in doing so gave females a chance to play the sport locally.
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"It was hard for us at the start," she told the Newcastle Herald.
"We originally didn't set out for this stage [NRLW], Youngy and I just wanted the girls to have an opportunity to play league in the community. For us to see the growth in the game and the talent. It blows my mind they can be representing the Knights and the whole community."
The Maitland Pickers (2012-15) first entered the Sydney women's competition, followed by the Hunter Stars (2016). North Newcastle were next, scoring a spot in the 2017 decider. CRL Newcastle formed in 2018, culminating with the 2019 state title.
COVID saw much of the group relocate to the Central Coast Roosters (2020, 2021) before the Knights began playing both NRLW and the NSW Women's Premiership this year.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
