Speed often wins games in the NRL.
Luckily for the nib Newcastle Knights, theres been no shortage of speedsters come through the ranks over the years.
Here's the 10 quickest players over the Knights' history, with present squad members not considered.
Darren Albert
The flying winger from Scone may be best known for his 1997 Grand Final heroics, however what was often understated was his sheer speed off the mark.
This was showcased best in an incredible cover tackle he made on Matt Seers in the preliminary final.
Akuila Uate
In terms of pure speed, not many players in the history of the game could keep up with ‘Akuila the Thriller’.
The Fijian flyer was a staple of the Knights right edge for 9 seasons, with his speed and agility earning him multiple representative jerseys and 110 tries for the red and blue, a club record.
Timana Tahu
The man Uate took that try scoring record from was none other than Timana Tahu, one of the Knights most iconic outside backs.
Tahu was a fan favourite during his two stints in red and blue, scoring 93 tries for the club, including a stunning length-of-the-field solo effort which ended with him ‘slam dunking’ the ball over the crossbar.
John Schuster
In just three seasons with the Knights, John Schuster earned a reputation as one of the games ultimate speedsters.
He set two early club records, for most total points and most points in a season, which we’re eventually run down by Andrew Johns.
Robbie O’Davis
He may have weighed in at just under 80kgs, but Robbie O’Davis’ speed made him unstoppable on his day.
Dubbed ‘O-Save-us’ by the fans, Robbie O’s pace often saw him find the try-line, with the No.1 scoring 78 tries including a brace in the ’97 decider.
Jake Mamo
Currently plugging away in the English Super League, Mamo made a big impression on fans in his three seasons at the Knights.
While he only played 29 games in a red and blue jumper, Mamo showed he had a knack for producing the spectacular, scoring 11 tries, mostly off the back of his blinding speed.
Ashley Gordon
You don’t earn the nickname ‘Ash the Flash’ for nothing.
Gordon became one of the Club’s first true speedsters and was the NSWRL’s top try scorer in 1990.
Kevin Naiqama
While he only played 15 games in three seasons at Newcastle, there was no doubting Kevin Naiqama’s speed or talent.
He had a knack for finding the line, crossing in nine of his 15 games for the Knights.
Cooper Vuna
Signed from the Warriors with just five games to his name, Vuna proved himself to be a bonified flyer in his four seasons in Newcastle.
He crossed for 35 tries, even scoring four in one match against the Broncos in 2010.
Dane Gagai
He may be a South Sydney Rabbitoh now, however there’s no doubting the pace belonging to Dane Gagai.
The speedy outside back scored 29 tries in his 128 Knights games, and is now one of the most prolific Queensland Origin try-scorers with 11 in just 13 games.
