Knights Brand Poised for Netball Arena in Newcastle's Super Bid
The iconic Newcastle Knights branding, famous throughout the National Rugby League, is likely to be carried onto the Super Netball court as the Wests Group launches an ambitious bid to bring a professional team to the city. If the submission to Netball Australia is successful, the new franchise would adopt the Knights' name, logo, and colours, creating a powerful unified sporting identity for the Hunter region.
Multi-Million Dollar Facility to Bolster Bid
Central to the Wests Group's proposal is a planned $6.7 million high-performance netball training hub at its Mayfield complex on Industrial Drive. This facility, proposed for the former Knights headquarters site, would feature a double-height indoor court, refurbished gym facilities, and dedicated player amenities. Renders for the project are already emblazoned with the Knights logo, signalling the group's clear intent.
Wests Group chief executive Phil Gardner confirmed the group is formally preparing its expression of interest, which is due to Netball Australia by January 31. The expansion could see new teams enter the elite competition as early as the 2027 season.
"A netball facility would support our bid for a licence, but there's a lot to go in it," Mr Gardner told the Newcastle Herald. "We've got to get a stadium approved because there's a whole lot of criteria to fill out."
Stadium Solution Key to Newcastle's Netball Hopes
The most significant challenge for the Newcastle bid is securing an approved playing venue. The plan involves a two-phase approach: initially using the outdated Newcastle Entertainment Centre—which previously hosted the Hunter Jaegers national league team from 2004 to 2007—before transitioning into a proposed new 12,000-seat indoor facility at Hunter Park.
"We'd need to play out of the existing entertainment centre and then transition into the new stadium over time, but it gives us a footprint," Mr Gardner explained, acknowledging that the existing venue's standard must meet Netball Australia's requirements.
The Wests Group, which already owns the Knights, has long held ambitions to add a netball team to its sporting portfolio. This move follows the model of other integrated sports clubs, such as the GWS Giants, whose netball team operates under the AFL club's brand.
Netball Australia chief executive Stacey West has described Wests Group's push for inclusion as "exciting for the sport" and acknowledged Newcastle's advantage of having a passionate sporting fanbase. The just-completed Super Netball season set a new record with total attendance reaching 386,455, highlighting the competition's growing popularity.
"As we look toward the next era, it is vital that any expansion is strategic, sustainable and aligned with the long-term vision of Australian netball," Ms West stated.
Mr Gardner emphasised the regional significance of the bid, stating, "We think the region deserves a national netball franchise, and I think most people do too." While a final team name would be decided later if the licence is granted, the deep connection to the Knights brand seems a near certainty, further solidifying the team as a representative for the entire Hunter region.
