Newcastle Knights Experience Surge in Fan Support

The Electric Pantera Tattoo Parlour in Newcastle is buzzing. It’s been a big few weeks for body art of a certain motif in a town gearing up for Sunday’s NRL grand final.

On Thursday afternoon, when most Novocastrians are hard at work, three men are sprawled across tattoo beds getting Newcastle Knights ink.

One is already wearing a Knights jersey.

Some tattoos are large. Others are small. The passion for the Knights is extra large.

Mick Sharp found time before his 12-hour night shift at a chemical plant to get the Knights logo that he’s wanted for years tattooed on his upper arm.

He is such a Newcastle tragic that he named his first son Joey after Andrew “Joey” Johns.

“I was at the game on Sunday and have tickets for this Sunday, so thought why not get amongst it,” Sharp says. “It was the best rugby league moment of my life.

“We talk about the Knights pretty much every time I get my tattoos. I can’t believe the way the town lifts from it.”

The first thing you see upon entering the parlour is a red and blue book on the reception desk.

Our Town, Our Team: The Story of the Newcastle Knights.

Owner Dave Ross has been completing about “six to seven” Knights tattoos a day of late. There were dozens in September as the team went through finals, beating the Rabbitohs, Warriors and Panthers to qualify for a grand final few expected them to make.

Things got so busy Ross had to call in extra staff. The moment Newcastle edged out Penrith on Sunday in a stunning preliminary final upset, Ross heard his phone vibrating in his pocket. They were messages from prospective clients.

Beside his tattoo machine are VHS tapes of the 1997 and 2001 grand finals, Newcastle’s two premiership triumphs.

Ross is wearing a corduroy hat emblazoned with an image of a shirtless Andrew Johns riding a skateboard down King Street – the famous scene after the Knights’ triumph over Manly 29 years ago.

After Wednesday’s open training session at McDonald Jones Stadium, where 12,000 fans turned out to watch their heroes, Thursday was supposed to be a quieter day as everyone began mentally preparing for the game ahead. It didn’t turn out that way.

The young men in the tattoo parlour chat away to the artists. At times, it feels more like a therapy session – black leather couch and all – as they recall their fondest memories of Knights games from years gone by. There have been some seriously lean years along the way, too, which makes this week all the more special.

“Newcastle feels like the centre of the universe at the moment,” Ross says. “It’s truly like nothing we’ve ever experienced.

“It’s never been busier. I never thought it would ever take off like this. Last week was pretty bonkers, but since the win on Sunday it’s gone seriously bonkers.”

As much as Ross would probably love the extra business, Sunday will remain sacred. No tattoos.

“I need the morning and the day to mentally prepare for the Knights,” he says with a laugh.

“Everyone is the happiest I’ve seen. You can’t walk on the street without seeing a Knights shirt. It’s just the most incredible time.”

To understand the Knights-mania sweeping through Newcastle, consider this: 22,000 free tickets for a grand final watch party at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday sold out in three minutes.

That’s 122 a second.

On Saturday, fans will line the streets of Newcastle to farewell the players as they depart for Sydney. The team bus will leave the Knights Centre of Excellence at 9.30am, travelling through the city before heading towards the M1.

After a quarter-century without a Knights grand final, Newcastle’s wait will finally end this weekend.

And if they beat the Roosters in another upset?

“Newcastle’s going to blow up,” Ross says. “It’s going to be like nothing ever seen before.”

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