The Newcastle Knights' 2026 Grand Final side brought together local juniors, established recruits and players seeking to prove themselves.
Kalyn Ponga's route to the team began with an effort to persuade him to leave the North Queensland Cowboys.
Darren Mooney, then the Knights' coach and football manager and now with the Sharks, travelled to Townsville to present the club's long-term plans.
The club also flew Ponga, his mother, father and sister to Newcastle as part of its pitch.
Although reluctant to move, Ponga signed a lucrative four-year deal and became the most important signing in the club's history.
"I didn't want to sign with the Knights," Ponga told NRL.com in 2018.