Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Josh Callinan

The Chief's Legends Room room a nod to the region's rugby league history

HONOUR: Knights premiership-winning captain Paul Harragon. The former NSW and Australian representative held the trophy aloft in 1997. Picture: Jonathan Carroll

Paul Harragon will be honoured at the Knights' centre of excellence as the NRL club looks to mark some of the region's rugby league history.

Knights boss Phil Gardner announced on Monday that The Chief's Legends Room would be an "important" part of the new Broadmeadow facility, which has now started construction with plans to open by this time next year.

Lakes product Harragon, the 1997 premiership-winning captain of Newcastle who represented both NSW and Australia, remains well known by his nickname The Chief.

"It's going to have a Chief's Legends Room," Gardner said.

"We'll have a museum, not just for the Knights but for other people that have really excelled in our region so people can come and see it. We think the Chief embodies all the things that we love about the Knights. The Chief's Legends Room is a really important thing for us."

Knights coach Adam O'Brien said this space gave the current squad a chance to connect with the club's past while trying to forge their own path in the game.

"You always want to be honouring your past and creating your future," O'Brien said.

"I want the young guys to understand clearly who has dug the well.

"That's another exciting part of the centre of excellence, having the legends room.

"Then hopefully we're talking about the legends of our young kids [now] like Bradman Best and Starford To'a down the track as well."

The $20million project was originally slated to to be finished by the end of 2020, however, the coronavirus crisis and negotiations with various stakeholders, including the adjacent rescue helicopter base, caused delays.

Richard Crookes Constructions were recently awarded the tender.

IN THE NEWS:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.