Where are they now: Tim Maddison

The history of the nib Newcastle Knights is kept alive by the many men who have pulled on the red and blue jersey since the Club’s inaugural year in 1988.

Knights TV has tracked down some of the best through the years to see where they are now and what their lives look like after footy.

Tim Maddison was known as somewhat of a NRL journeyman but it all started and ended with the Newcastle Knights.

He spent his junior years with the Knights and it was in 1993 Maddison kicked off his football career in the national league.

He stuck with the Knights until 1995 and notched up 12 first-grade matches… but 95’ was a year he’ll never forget, as captain of Newcastle’s history-making Reserve Grade side which claimed victory over Cronulla in the grand final to secure the Club’s maiden senior title.

“There have been some good memories,” smiled Maddison.

“There was a good generation to come through with a lot of local guys, some lifetime friendships that we all created and the fact that we really worked as a Club was great.

“All three grades were so involved during that time and you got to spend a lot of time with the guys that were playing first grade coming through and it gave us a really good indication of where we needed to be by the time we got there.”

From 1996 was where his journey of other clubs began, from the Sydney City Roosters, Hunter Mariners, the Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland before he found himself coming back home.

“I had a season in France which was great fun and while I was there, Michael Hagan and Mark Sargent, who were great mates of mine, wanted a good front rower to come back to Newcastle,” Maddison explained.

“I said I didn’t know one (laughs) but they pointed to me.

“I came back and it was great to finish here with a few of the guys I started with and they had a whole lot of success, more success than what I had, but it was good to finish in Newcastle.”

Hanging up the boots following his 2003 season, Maddison went back to his roots and started working in the family business, Maddison Safety.

“The mining game is one of our biggest (customers) being situated here at the hub of it in the Hunter, so a proud Newcastle owned business,” he maintained.

“We manufacture a range of mining equipment, we also sell loads of PPE, safety gear and five years ago we joined a national buying group which is now part of a national distribution network with 70 companies involved, so it’s going really well… business is good.”

While it was out of footy and into the world of business, Maddison admits it’s similarities were uncanny.

“It’s pretty amazing, I finished 14 years ago but the standard meetings I have these days is 45 minutes of footy and 15 minutes of business,” Maddison laughed.

“Football gives you a really good base to build off because you meet some fantastic people.

“I compare it all the time to rugby league… we have our opposition and we have our teammates.

“Footy did give me and a lot of other guys a good base and I owe a lot to the Club and the game.”

But he hasn’t strayed too far away from the game and the Club he loves, taking the opportunity to join the Old Boys committee last year.

“I was pretty honoured to be asked to do that because the guys that did it before us were there for 20 years and they did an amazing job to get it off the ground,” Maddison said.

“The Newcastle Old Boys is a benchmark of the whole NRL and we have a good little crew.”

Maddison admits with the rebuilding of the Club and new recruitment for the 2018 season, the Knights are looking fantastic.

“The signing of Mitchell Pearce was a good one and on the back of that, we’ll certainly attract some top line players,” he commented.

“The other one close to my heart is the local guys…. There’s some really good local fellas coming through.

“Brock Lamb and Sam Stone, those fellas played against my young guy when he was growing up when they were only kids.

“I get really excited to see them out on the paddock and competing at that level because they are fantastic young footballers and I look forward to seeing those young guys create a good future for themselves as well.

“There’s plenty of local talent in the Hunter and hopefully that local talent, on the back of these more experienced guys that have come into the Club, will shine through.