2006 Newcastle Knights season

June 2025 2006 2005 2007 The 2006 Newcastle Knights season was the 19th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2006 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 4th (out of 15), reaching the semi-finals only to be knocked out by eventual premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. Season summary The 2006 season was dominated early by news that coaches Michael Hagan and Brian Smith, who were coaching the Knights and the Parramatta Eels respectively at the time, were to swap clubs from the 2007 season onwards. Coincidentally, this news also dominated prior to their round one meeting in Newcastle, which the Knights won 25-6 (exacting revenge following Parramatta's 50–0 win last year). On the field, the season was a massive improvement from the 2005 season which netted just eight wins. The Knights were unbeaten after round three and were early-season joint competition leaders with North Queensland and Penrith. Following a hiccup in round four against the New Zealand Warriors, the Knights headed down to Wollongong and thrashed the St. George Illawarra Dragons 54–6; therefore exacting revenge following the Dragons' 48–2 win in 2004 (the first match for Newcastle since Andrew Johns suffered a season-ending knee injury that year). Then came the much anticipated, top-of-the-ladder showdown against the Cowboys pitting Johns against 2005 Dally M Medallist Johnathan Thurston. Unfortunately, Newcastle lost by just 18–16,June 2025 and Johns was injured yet again. His absence was evident in Newcastle's 52-6 hammering in Melbourne the following week,https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/killer-instinct-cant-have-off-switch-20060424-gdnf04.html Killer instinct can't have off switch The Sydney Morning Herald Greg Prichard 24 April 2006 9 June 2025 but wins followed over the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Brisbane Broncos, putting Newcastle's season back on track. The win over the Broncos was achieved two days after Lockyer and Johns played as Australia's halves pairing for the final time. During the State of Origin period Newcastle suffered a form slump; losing seven of eight matches with a bye sandwiched in between. However, unlike previous years when Michael Hagan was unavailable due to his Queensland Origin commitments, he was fully in charge of the Newcastle team during this period. Andrew Johns broke the NRL all-time pointscoring record (since broken again by Hazem El Masri) previously held by Jason Taylor, against the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium in round 18. Coincidentally, Taylor was the Eels relieving coach at the time; but at the conclusion of the match Johns ignored Taylor and the match ball as a commemoration; the possibility being the nature of Newcastle's 46–12 defeat. Newcastle finished fourth at the end of the regular season, an 11-place improvement from the previous season. They were drawn a home final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles whom the Knights defeated in the famous 1997 ARL Grand Final nine years earlier. Despite trailing 18–6 at halftime, the Knights won its first final since their 2001 Grand Final victory by winning 25–18, but the win came at a cost with hooker Danny Buderus suspended for a spear tackle on Manly winger Michael Robertson, ruling him out of Newcastle's following final against the Brisbane Broncos in what was the last ever Johns vs. Lockyer showdown. The Knights lost 50–6, ending Newcastle's season of improvement. Overall, Newcastle defeated every team in the top eight except for the first-placed Melbourne Storm. Match results Round Opponent Result New. Opp. Date Venue 1 Parramatta 12 Parramatta Eels Win 25 6 11 March EnergyAustralia Stadium 2 Canberra 12 Canberra Raiders Win 70 32 19 March Canberra Stadium 3 Canterbury 12 Canterbury Bulldogs Win 46 22 24 March EnergyAustralia Stadium 4 New Zealand Warriors old 12 New Zealand Warriors Loss 22 26 2 April EnergyAustralia Stadium 5 St. George 12 St. George Illawarra Dragons Win 54 6 8 April WIN Stadium 6 North Queensland 12 North Queensland Cowboys Loss 16 18 16 April EnergyAustralia Stadium 7 Melbourne 12 Melbourne Storm Loss 6 52 22 April Olympic Park 8 South Sydney 12 South Sydney Rabbitohs Win 24 18 30 April Telstra Stadium 9 Brisbane 12 Brisbane Broncos Win 32 30 7 May EnergyAustralia Stadium 10 Wests Tigers 12 Wests Tigers Win 18 16 14 May EnergyAustralia Stadium 11 Canberra 12 Canberra Raiders Win 22 12 20 May EnergyAustralia Stadium 12 St. George 12 St. George Illawarra Dragons Loss 12 38 26 May EnergyAustralia Stadium 13 Canterbury 12 Canterbury Bulldogs Loss 22 38 3 June Telstra Stadium 14 BYE 15 New Zealand Warriors old 12 New Zealand Warriors Loss 18 30 18 June Ericsson Stadium 16 Cronulla 12 Cronulla Sharks Loss 16 26 24 June EnergyAustralia Stadium 17 Manly 12 Manly Sea Eagles Win 26 12 30 June Brookvale Oval 18 Parramatta 12 Parramatta Eels Loss 12 46 8 July Parramatta Stadium 19 Melbourne 12 Melbourne Storm Loss 16 24 16 July EnergyAustralia Stadium 20 South Sydney 12 South Sydney Rabbitohs Win 24 18 22 July EnergyAustralia Stadium 21 Cronulla 12 Cronulla Sharks Win 22 18 28 July Toyota Park 22 Eastern Suburbs 12 Sydney Roosters Win 32 18 6 August Central Coast Stadium 23 Manly 12 Manly Sea Eagles Loss 14 16 11 August EnergyAustralia Stadium 24 North Queensland 12 North Queensland Cowboys Win 19 12 19 August Dairy Farmers Stadium 25 Penrith 12 Penrith Panthers Win 40 4 26 August EnergyAustralia Stadium 26 BYE Qualif. Final Manly 12 Manly Sea Eagles Win 25 18 8 September EnergyAustralia StadiumSemi Final Brisbane 12 Brisbane Broncos Loss 6 50 16 September Sydney Football Stadium References Category:Newcastle Knights seasons Newcastle Knights season