ACCORDING to Business Review Weekly estimates, Nathan Tinkler lost a staggering $2 million a day in 2012, disappearing from the ranks of the nation's "Rich List" after his fortune fell below the $235 million cut-off.
But his coffers received a much-needed boost early in 2013 when HSG complied with the Knights Members Club's compulsory, deferred audit, after which Tinkler's bank guarantee reverted from $20 million to $10.3 million, enabling him to cash in the excess $9.7 million. Welcome news, no doubt, for his long line of creditors.
Whatever controversy and criticism Tinkler was attracting, he still had high-profile supporters willing to vouch for him, even if they were on his payroll.
Knights legend Paul Harragon, who had accepted Tinkler's invitation to become the club chairman, spoke often about what a great "benefactor" he was.
"I think Nathan has received a lot of criticism that's been unfounded," Harragon said. "Most people have shown great loyalty and understanding. There's been a small amount who haven't.
"But we know that Nathan carries a heavy load to give this city their two teams. I guarantee you there's nobody else who would be so benevolent ... it's an incredible legacy he's leaving behind. All the criticism he's received, I'm sure it's hurt him. Any man would feel the same way. But as time goes on, everyone will start to realise how lucky we are."
Coach Bennett, the highest-paid employee at the Knights, was similarly effusive.
"You can always tell our leaders and pioneers by the number of knives in their back," Bennett said. "Nathan's got plenty. There's nothing in it for him. It's a not-for-profit club ... that was one of the things that attracted me to come here. I thought: 'This guy's having a go. He's trying to help the battlers out there'."
By now, the man labelled the "Boganaire" had relocated with his family to Singapore, which meant that Knights games he could attend would be few and far between. Back in Newcastle, in contrast to 12 months earlier, Bennett seemed happy to promote an optimistic outlook, saying that his players and staff had a "better understanding" as they prepared for their second season together.
"From my perspective I think we had the year we needed to have, to accept the reality of the situation ... we've had a lot of change and a lot of uncertainty. It's just had to be bedded down, and that's a time factor," he said. Bennett said he "made some changes to myself, the way I was coaching ... I had to accept the reality of the situation", after which the Knights "started looking like a footy team who could beat somebody". He was also buoyed by their recruiting.
As well as enlisting enforcers Beau Scott, Jeremy Smith and David Fa'alogo, Newcastle picked up young centre BJ Leilua, an outstanding talent who had been sacked by the Roosters over disciplinary misdemeanours.
In 2012, Bennett regularly felt "the opposition hadn't had a sleepless night worrying about you". A year down the track, he was confident that would change. "'That's what those guys [Smith, Scott and Fa'alogo] bring," he said. "They have a reputation for being guys that lead from the front and having attributes that you need in this game. The three of them are highly credentialled in that area. That's not something anyone questions about them."
Nathan has received a lot of criticism that's been unfounded.
PAUL HARRAGON
Another veteran, champion hooker Danny Buderus, suffered a back injury that would require two bouts of surgery and cause him to miss almost half the season. A lesser man would surely have retired, but the 35-year-old was determined to bow out on his own terms.
"I'm not going out like that," he said. "I'm going to rehab it and work through the process to be back on the field."
In Bedsy's absence, Newcastle started strongly, winning five of their first seven games, to sit fifth. In the process, however, they lost the aggressive Smith to suspension. Charged with a grade-three dangerous throw for a head slam that left Penrith forward Matt Robinson unconscious, Smith and the Knights tried to challenge the grading at the judiciary. They were unsuccessful, so instead of a four-game ban the New Zealander copped six - and the Anzac Test match, to boot.
Skipper Kurt Gidley was also sidelined with a foot injury, prompting Bennett's dubious decision to sign 35-year-old Craig Gower from London Broncos, six seasons after he had last played in the NRL. Gower would play only six games, all off the bench, before a back injury forced him to retire.
Six losses in seven games through May and June caused Newcastle to tumble out of the top eight, but the return of the inspirational Buderus sparked a resurgence. The Knights lost only one of their next six games, before again encountering suspension worries when prop Kade Snowden copped seven games for a shoulder charge that left Cowboys hooker Ray Thompson with a broken jaw.
Bennett responded to Snowden's ban by castigating the judiciary system. "The unfairness with the system is that Kade can't go down there and defend that position," Bennett said.
"Players have got to have the right to defend themselves. The old system was much better there. You didn't get another penalty when you turned up to the judiciary ... they've taken that right away in the sense that there's a risk factor involved and you get an extra two weeks for that after you've done seven."
Bennett's viewpoint, while widely publicised because of his stature, was based on a flimsy premise.
Snowden was actually facing a nine-week suspension but was entitled to a discount with an early plea, which he chose to take.
If the Knights were convinced of his innocence, and had been able to present a compelling case for the judiciary to consider, he might have qualified for a downgraded charge.
The same rules applied to all players.
In addition, the coach did not mention the big prop had already pleaded guilty to two high-contact charges earlier in the season, and hence was a serial offender.
Newcastle's players were not alone in falling foul of the authorities. Knights officials were fined $88,749 for breaching their 2012 salary cap, while Tinkler was investigated - and cautioned - by the NRL's integrity unit after it emerged that in 2011 he had bet $25,000 on Newcastle to win a game against the Warriors, which they subsequently lost 20-12. He claimed that he was unaware of the code's anti-gambling policy.
Heading into the penultimate round, the Knights were in a dogfight to make the top eight. Trailing the Broncos 14-6 at half-time at Suncorp Stadium, their season was on the line. In a bittersweet moment, skipper Kurt Gidley crashed over for a try early in the second half, only to break his foot in the process. Newcastle proceeded to win 26-18 but Gidley spent the rest of the season on crutches.
A week later, a final-round 54-6 thrashing of Parramatta at home allowed Buderus the happy swansong he was denied in 2008, including the first goal of his 14-season NRL career. It also confirmed the Knights had qualified seventh (12 wins, 11 losses and a draw) and would tackle sixth-placed Canterbury at Sydney's ANZ Stadium in a sudden-death playoff.
The Knights were immediately installed as long shots with the bookmakers, but after beating the Bulldogs 44-8 and 18-12 in the preliminary rounds, they were more than confident about their chances. Once again, Newcastle were way too good, posting a comprehensive 22-6 win - their first in a finals match since 2006. Suddenly, the inconsistent Knights, who included six former grand final winners in their ranks, had some momentum to go with their big-game experience.
Their next challenge, however, was a formidable one - the Storm in Melbourne, where they had lost 10 consecutive games dating back to 2004. Flying on self-belief and team spirit, they shocked the home side 18-16, providing Buderus with a sweet memory of his last-ever clash with long-time rival Cameron Smith.
Now the Knights were just 80 minutes from the grand final, but standing between them and the title decider were minor premiers the Roosters. Any hopes of a third successive boilover disintegrated in the opening minutes, when Buderus attempted to tackle Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ball-and-all, copping a raised elbow to the jaw.
The courageous 35-year-old crashed instantly to the turf, unconscious, and was taken from Allianz Stadium arena on a medicab. His illustrious 257-game career was done and dusted, and so was Newcastle's season, after a 40-14 loss to the eventual premiers.
When he came to, Buderus confided in former teammate, and long-time housemate, Mark Hughes, he was worried that "everyone is only going to remember me for being stretchered off in my last game". Boozy replied: "Do you think we're fools? We're not going to forget the last 16 years, mate."
Hughes was the perfect man to provide some perspective for Buderus and remind him that there is more to life than rugby league. A month earlier, the former utility back had been diagnosed with brain cancer and underwent surgery to remove an avocado-sized posterior cerebral tumour.
Far from wallowing in self-pity, he established the Mark Hughes Foundation and set about raising funds for brain-cancer research. Eventually the NRL embraced the project, dedicating a whole weekend of games in support, which became synonymous as "Beanies for Brain Cancer Round". Hughes, Buderus and a host of teammates, including Paul Harragon, Matthew Johns, the Gidley brothers, Steve Crowe and Bill Peden, would later raise $450,000 by embarking on a much-publicised trek to the base camp at Mount Everest.
On reflection, Buderus accepted the cards the footballing gods had dealt him. "To leave that way, that's just the way it is," he said. "I don't get another chance to rectify it [but] I'm happy with how it ended.
"There are not many fairytales in this game, which we all know, but I guess my story was heading that way with a possible grand final appearance ... it's time to thank everyone who has helped me with my career and move on."
Coach Bennett was left pondering how near and yet so far he had come to what would have been the ninth grand final of his top-grade career. "To finish in the top four is a start for us, and hopefully it will give us more confidence ... knowing that we can match it with these teams at the end of the season when it matters," he said.
Whether Bennett would remain at the helm became a matter of speculation, especially after rumours surfaced that North Queensland were chasing him and he cryptically told the media: "I can't give you an ironclad guarantee about anything."
Two days later, Bennett was more forthcoming, insisting: "Well I was never leaving the Knights. It comes back to you people [the media]. It starts with you people. "It's fascinated me the rubbish that went on about it. Here I am justifying why I'm staying here. I'm here. Do you understand that? Don't you ever read your own articles or read what's said?"
After two tumultuous years, on and off the field, perhaps Bennett believed the premiership he had been hired to win was within reach. Perhaps he was convinced Tinkler's finances had stabilised. If only he had known.
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