Flash digs … Kurt Gidley and Chris Houston at the new training base in Mayfield West. Photo: Peter Stoop
NEWCASTLE have ''no excuses'' in their quest for rugby league's holy grail after unveiling facilities yesterday they say are comparable to any in the NRL.
For so long the poor relations of the competition, the Knights emerged from the stone age in 2008 to move into a gleaming new training base at Mayfield West provided by the Wests Group as a sponsorship deal.
Even after the Knights were privatised last year by billionaire Nathan Tinkler, shoring up their financial future for at least a decade, Wests maintained their commitment to the region's rugby league flagship.
In consultation with new Knights coach Wayne Bennett and his staff, Wests invested a further $400,000 over the summer installing offices, a 30-seat lecture theatre, upgrading the gymnasium and recreational area and appointing a full-time groundsman to maintain the training pitch.
''Nathan Tinkler is owed a great deal of thanks for what he has done … but this team does not belong to Nathan, it belongs to Newcastle and the people of the Hunter,'' Wests Group chief executive Phil Gardner said yesterday.
''One thing we said to Nathan on the night that [privatisation] vote went so overwhelmingly in his favour was that we aren't going to leave him holding the bag. This is testament to the fact that we haven't done that. And I don't think the people of Newcastle and the Hunter will either. This is our team, not Nathan's team. We're behind the team 100 per cent and we want to see the success that it can bring to this community.''
Gardner said it was not that long ago the Knights struggled to compete with other clubs in terms of off-field resources.
''It really is surprising how far we've come,'' Gardner said. ''From portaloos and the nomads of rugby league, we've got the guys today to within a home that we think is as good as any, not just in rugby league but AFL and soccer. Anywhere you can go in the country, we think this facility is as good, if not better.''
Having trained during the pre-season at Newcastle University, the Knights will start using the new ''one-stop shop'' on Friday as they prepare for their round one blockbuster against St George Illawarra on Thursday week.
Knights skipper Kurt Gidley, who started his NRL career in an era when players regularly got changed and prepared for training in shipping containers, said those days seemed '' a long time ago''.
''I've seen it come right from the start to where we are now, and I've trained at a lot of parks all over the world,'' he said. ''This is the best I've trained at. We've been doing some tough training over at the uni and this will be a welcome home when we come here at the end of this week.''
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