When the Newcastle Knights lost seven games out of nine mid-season and were languishing well down the ladder, things got so dire that the club began secretly searching for a new coach.But then, all of a sudden, something amazing happened: the Knights started winning and couldn't stop.Their 10-match unbeaten streak became the talk of the league, deservedly earned Adam O'Brien a new deal and took the club to within two games of the grand final.They weren't just winning games - they were playing sparkling attacking football as they did so, blowing many opponents off the park with their speed and power.The brilliant Kalyn Ponga, finally over his concussion and injury worries, was at the heart of the remarkable revival. His raids from the backfield worried every club in the NRL and he set up countless tries for his outside men.Wingers Dom Young and Greg Marzhew were the main beneficiaries of Ponga's class, scoring an amazing 47 tries between them, while centre Bradman Best also got in for his share of the spoils with 13.McDonald Jones Stadium was the epicentre of the NRL for the second half of the season, with sellout crowds delighting to the team's bright, attacking style of football.'No frills' players like Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Phoenix Crossland, Tyson Gamble and Leo Thompson bought into the Knights' new attitude and had career-best seasons.If there was a downer on the team in 2023, it was that long wretched run mid-season which cost them a top four berth.The Knights had the personnel to be a real force had they finished in the top four and after beating Canberra in their opening finals game, they were trounced by a pumped-up Warriors team in Auckland in a disappointing end to an otherwise fruitful campaign.The lesson the players should have learned is that it's a long season - and you have to turn up every week wanting to win and believing you can do so to be successful.If the Knights take that out of 2023, they can be an even bigger threat next season.
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