A WYNNUM-Manly Seagulls junior has been left devastated after Newcastle’s fairytale NRL season ended in a heartbreaking one-point grand final loss.
Harrison Graham and his Knights teammates went down 19-18 to the Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium on Sunday, falling agonisingly short after a gutsy performance in rugby league’s biggest game.
The 25-year-old hooker came through Wynnum Juniors and the Seagulls academy, making his Hostplus Cup debut for Wynnum-Manly in 2021 and helping the club’s Colts side to a premiership that same year.
He went on to make his NRL debut with the Dolphins in their inaugural 2023 season before moving to Newcastle on a development deal this year.
Graham seized his opportunity with the Knights, featuring in 19 NRL games and earning a contract extension through to 2027.
His former club had celebrated the chance for one of its own to take the field on the grand final stage.
“A proud product of the Seagulls pathway, Harrison progressed through the junior ranks before making the step up to the seniors,” Wynnum-Manly said before the decider.
“We’re incredibly proud to see Harrison continue to achieve at the highest level.”
The Knights’ loss was especially cruel after one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent NRL history, rising from last year’s wooden spoon to within a point of a premiership.
Knights captain Kalyn Ponga said the club had proof it could again contend for the title but warned the group would have to earn another shot.
“Nothing is given, we still have to earn everything we get next year,” Ponga said.
“The youth that is coming through, it gives us evidence we can do it.”
Coach Justin Holbrook praised the courage shown by his undermanned side, which was without suspended regular hooker Phoenix Crossland and had already lost key playmaker Dylan Brown to a mid-season injury.
A rib injury to veteran Tyson Frizell during the match added to the Knights’ adversity.
“I’ve never watched a harder game of footy,” Holbrook said.
“I am so proud, but you just felt for them.
“To still be in it at the end there was an enormous effort from the boys.”
Holbrook said the Knights had been on the back foot for much of the match but refused to surrender.
“The spirit in the playing group meant we were still in there with a couple of minutes to go,” he said.
“If you can win anything on heart and effort, then we definitely won that because it was the hardest game of footy, I have ever coached.”
Halfback Sandon Smith said the pain of the defeat would drive Newcastle’s preparation for next season.
“It’s so disappointing because it’s hard to get here,” Smith said.
“It’s not going to happen every year, but we’ll use this feeling of motivation next year.”
