Knights’ pair stars of show

TAMIKA Upton and Millie Boyle were touted as the Knights in shining armour who could turn around Newcastle’s fortunes after they finished with the wooden spoon in the inaugural season.

And all it look was a few months for the former Broncos to turn despair into silverware as Newcastle went from winless earlier in the year to NRLW champions after they pummelled Parramatta 32-12.

Boyle and Upton were part of the Broncos juggernaut, helping the Queensland side to titles in 2019 and 2020 before they made the move to the Hunter this season.

They were an integral part of the turnaround and were again two of the best performers when it mattered most, with Boyle leading from the front with a game-high 235m. But it was Upton who lit things up with a dazzling solo effort to become the leading tryscorer in competition history, while she also set up a four-pointer in the first half.

The experience of Boyle and Upton has been crucial this season, but so has the emergence of teen sensation Jesse Southwell.

The 17-year-old playmaker won Rugby Sevens gold at the Commonwealth Games earlier in 2022, and her dream year has continued with another title in the greatest sport of all.

Tully product Romy Teitzel scored a try for the Knights, capping a big year in which she also won the BMD Premiership with the North Queensland Gold Stars.

The fairytale wasn’t to be for former Northern Pride fullback Jayden Corrigan. The Norths Devils winger could only watch as Penrith rolled to a 44-10 demolition in the NRL State Championship.