We all love a nickname.
As we know, Andrew Johns was nicknamed ‘Joey’, a name he received from his father as a child.
Mark Hughes landed the moniker of ‘Boozey’ from his teammates and then there were more obvious nicknames like ‘Sarge’ for Mark Sargent and ‘BK’ for Ben Kennedy.
But what about the names the punters invented or gravitated towards?
These are the top 10 nicknames in the history of the Knights:
AKUILA THE THRILLER
When the Uate party hit the scene, fans were mesmerised.
Aku Uate was an electric player with speed to burn and lived up to the nickname.
He finished his Knights career with 161 first grade games and 110 tries. After many of those tries, fans would be treated to Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' blasting across McDonald Jones Stadium in honour of the nickname.
ROBBIE O’SAVE US
The two-time premiership winning fullback was a fan favourite.
Robbie O’Davis was an entertainer and his name made for one of the all-time great signs in the crowd.
THE KNIGHT RYDER
When blonde winger Justin Ryder burst onto the scene in 2000, the fans took to him.
With his name lending itself to the nickname, Knight Ryder like the popular US television show, Ryder became a fan favourite.
He finished his NRL career with 27 top grade games and nines tries over three seasons at the Club.
THE FLYING IRISHMAN
His time at the club was brief but Brian Carney made his mark.
An Irish international, the larrikin joined the Knights in 2006 from Wigan.
The winger spent one season with the club, playing 26 games and scoring 16 tries.
MAD DOG
A true character, Adam ‘The Mad Dog’ MacDougall was an energetic winger who joined the Club in 1997.
Playing 86 games for the Knights and scoring 57 tries, stories of MacDougall talking to his legs pre-game and countless other quicks has taken on a life of its own.
THE FLYING SCOTSMAN
If you listen closely, you can still hear the sound of the bagpipes echoing around McDonald Jones Stadium after a James McManus try.
Born in Scotland, the winger was signed by the Knights as a teen and played 166 NRL games for the club, scoring 72 tries.
THE CHIEF
He is a Club legend.
The name Paul ‘the Chief’ Harragon is not only synonymous with Newcastle but rugby league.
As the inspirational leader of the pack, the 169 game veteran was the heart and soul of the club for many years.
ROSS DOG OR WHITE LIGHTNING
When Nathan Ross burst onto the NRL scene in 2015 he already had the name ‘white lightening’.
It was a name he picked up while playing NSW Cup thanks to a bleach blonde look he was sporting but once in the NRL he gained the self-appointed nickname of the Ross Dog, becoming a fan favourite in the process.
Ross retired in 2019 with 60 NRL games to his name and 23 tries.
BIG WILLIE
When Willie Mason arrived in Newcastle in 2012, he brought plenty of charisma to the Club.
At the Bulldogs he rocked a distinctive afro hair style, while at the Knights he brought the laughs.
His name also made for plenty of hilarious signs in the crowd.
WALTZING MATT HILDER
The utility joined the Knights in 2008 and brought a great name with him.
Hilder spent six seasons with the club before retiring.
Honourable mention …
Big Horse
At 201 centimetres tall, Matt Parsons was a giant human.
We’re not sure where his nickname ‘Big horse’ came from but there’s no denying he was a massive man.
Parsons joined the Knights in 2000, playing 106 games for the club including the 2001 grand final.
Kurt Godley
Mr Fix it could do it all.
Whether he was winning the game in the halves or at fullback. Or captaining NSW from the bench, Kurt Gidley was a special player.
The former captain was also a crowd favourite, so when the ‘Kurt Godley’ sign appeared in the stands, you can understand why.
