The Newcastle Knights secure a place in the 2026 NRL grand final after a highly unlikely preliminary final victory over the Penrith Panthers. Multiple outlets describe the result as one of the most dramatic and compelling preliminary-final performances in recent memory.
The coverage frames the win as the peak of a turnaround under coach Justin Holbrook, following a period when Newcastle had struggled to contend. The Guardian notes the club’s long stretch of mediocrity, highlighting that it had won wooden spoons four times in 11 seasons before this run. The Sydney Morning Herald characterizes the season’s success as a “fairytale” return to glory. While both sources focus on the scale of the shift, they differ in emphasis: the Guardian spotlights the historical contrast and the unprecedented nature of the preliminary-final story, while the Sydney Morning Herald foregrounds the surprise and significance of the victory itself.
