A fourth consecutive sellout might be a tad beyond reach given the mid-week and late time slot, but Knights officials - and the players - remain hopeful of a near-capacity crowd at Thursday night's season-opener.
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Newcastle face Canberra from 8pm at McDonald Jones Stadium in a repeat of the epic elimination final the two sides played at the same venue last year. That game, which the Knights won 30-28 thanks to a Kalyn Ponga extra-time penalty goal, attracted a crowd of 29,548.
It was the club's third-straight sellout after attendances of 29,423 and 29,018 at the wins over Cronulla (32-16) and South Sydney (29-10), respectively, the month prior.
The crowd at the elimination final was the biggest to a Knights home game since 2012, when 29,482 turned up to a match against Canterbury in round 22.
"On a Thursday night, it would be unreal," Knights prop Jacob Saifiti said of another potential sellout.
"Obviously it's different to a Sunday afternoon, it doesn't get much better, but first round on a Thursday night, if we can get close to it, it would be unreal."
Newcastle attracted a crowd of 29,189 to a Thursday night season-opener back in 2012, when Wayne Bennett coached the side for the first time, which proves a near-capacity crowd is possible in the time slot.
The Knights have already sold more than 27,000 memberships, but only about half of these are season-ticket holders.
Many, for example, are multi-game passes where fans can choose which games to attend. But it's understood a crowd in the mid-20,000s is expected first-up.
"Hopefully we can get that all year round, and earn that by putting in good performances," forward Tyson Frizell said. "At the back end of the year, it was great to have all the fans there.
"If we can kick the year off well, and play some great footy, we will earn the right to have all our fans there week-in, week-out."
Saifiti, who starts in the front row this week, said he had gained a new appreciation for the Knights faithful last year playing in front of a full house, particularly against the Raiders.
"When it gets rocking, it's unreal," he said.
"We were on the ropes a bit there against Canberra, and that New-cas-tle chant went up, and that second half was honestly one of the best times of my life.
"It's just a different feeling when that New-cas-tle chant goes up."
Frizell said Canberra were always a formidable opponent, which should make for an entertaining game.
"The feeling that we had against Canberra here in the semi-final, they'll probably want to be ... getting a bit of redemption," he said.
"It's always tough, exactly like that semi-final game, and comes down to the wire. I expect nothing different.
"It's something the fans will be looking forward to, and we are too."