Just like their season, Knights supporters are back on track for the NRL grand final. Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS
Plans to stage nightmare trackworks that would separate Newcastle’s passionate fans from the NRL grand final have been dumped.
Thousands of Novocastrians are expected to make the near-160km journey after a fairytale triumph over Penrith at the weekend to head to their first decider since 2001.
But planned weekend trackworks drove fears of travel carnage, after some Knights fans faced four-hour trips from the Steel City to Sydney for Sunday’s fairytale preliminary final triumph over Penrith.
Buses were slated to replace trains between the Newcastle Interchange and Gosford on grand final day.
League fans will be able to take the train straight from Newcastle to Sydney’s Central station. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)
On Monday, Transport for NSW confirmed it would dump the maintenance plans.
“Sydney Trains is also working on a plan to add extra Intercity train services between Newcastle and Sydney on Sunday … we hope to announce details shortly,” a spokesperson told AAP.
The change of heart means fans can take the train straight from Newcastle to Sydney’s Central station.
That call came after Knights supporters fumed over nearly-doubled travel times preceding Newcastle’s clash with Penrith.
Some fans’ typically-two-hour journey took twice as long, after a broken-down freight train meant hundreds were trapped at stations on an already chaotic transport day.
Train users were forced onto replacement buses from the NSW central coast – although shocking highway traffic ensured a frustrating trip for all involved.
Francis Manuleleua (centre) says the team turned it on for travelling supporters. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook appreciated their dedication.
”Thinking about how many fans came down and the trains stopped and the buses and the traffic and it took them four hours to get there,” he said.
”I wanted to thank them, so I ran around the field and it was so special, we want to make our community proud, our Hunter region.”
Opening try-scorer Francis Manuleleua agreed the team turned it on for supporters.
”Everyone travelled and it took four hours to get here with train delays and everything, so we had to pay them back with that performance,” he said.
It’s been a big year for the Knights, just a year after the team collected a wooden spoon. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)
The Knights claimed their historic eight-point victory in front of 57,000 on Sunday.
Newcastle collected the wooden spoon just a year back and have not seen a grand final in a quarter of a century.
The Sydney Roosters will take on Newcastle at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Sunday evening with the stage set for a classic showdown.
Around 80,000 fans are expected to attend the NRLW and NRL grand finals at 4pm and 7.30pm respectively.
Australian Associated Press
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