Rebuilding the Knights: Why a title will repair Southwell's pain

Hannah Southwell will be sitting on the sidelines when younger sister Jesse and the Knights chase premiership glory on Sunday, but behind the scenes she’s played a big part in the club’s NRLW revival.

The injured Knights co-captain, who ruptured her ACL in the opening round of the season, was instrumental with club officials in helping land some of the game’s biggest stars in the off-season.

It all started when Southwell spent a final campaign at the Roosters at the start of the year.

Despite her loyalty to the Tricolours for one final season, the local Newcastle product couldn’t help but keep one eye on the Knights as they struggled in their first campaign together to finish with a winless season.

“It was tough to see, obviously, I had committed to the Roosters earlier and I wasn’t going to back out of that because I had verbally agreed, but it was difficult to watch the club go through that, it killed me a little bit,” Southwell told NRL.com.

“I remember watching the first game against Parramatta at McDonald Jones Stadium [as part of a triple header] and thinking 'oh my goodness, I would love to be part of that'.

“It felt weird running onto the ground that day in different colours. And then to watch the crowd just get behind Newcastle, I knew that was something I wanted to be a part of in the future.

“I knew it killed a few of the other local girls too as well, but I’m just glad we’re home now, I’m glad we’re all home and hopefully going to stick around for a long time.”

Southwell’s first conversations to join her local club were with former Knights head of pathways coach Garth Brennan and included conversations around who else needed to be lured to Newcastle.

Knights forward Simone Karpani had already signed on with Southwell rallying former Roosters teammates Tayla Predebon and Olivia Higgins, who are from the Hunter region, back to the club too.

Scone local Yasmin Clydsdale was one of the final local players signed with Southwell knowing the Knights back-rower would be the best addition of the lot.

“I knew if we got Yasmin it would seal the deal in who we wanted,” Southwell said.

“We needed really good local players at this club to build people for a long time and they were it.”

Then came the real knockout play.

Southwell wasn’t completely aware of just how hard the club had gone in for former Broncos Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton.

Nor was she expecting one, or both, to even get over the line and pull on the red and blue.

“When I found out that the club had contacted Tamika and she said she was keen, I couldn’t believe it, I was going to pass out,” Southwell said.

“They (Boyle and Upton) were, a huge bonus, but Tamika in particular, I don’t reckon she’s reached her potential yet. I think she is still building herself and has been instrumental.”

As for the luring of Southwell’s younger sister Jesse, who has set the NRLW alight this season at just 17, that was the easiest recruitment strategy of all.

“She was always going to be playing, that girl,” Southwell said.

“I’m really proud of how she’s gone this season. She was the last player in the squad who signed and I knew she would add to our team.

"Not because I'm her sister but I just knew she would be able to make a real impact."

Then there are other players who have proven to be underrated stars of the Knights line-up. 

Knights five-eighth Kirra Dibb has found consistency in 2022 while Emma Manzelmann has proven to be a force in her second season at the club. 

Former skipper Romy Teitzel has transitioned to the back-row beautifully while outside backs Shanice Parker and Kiana Takairangi have had a taste of the NRLW previously but couldn't get a look-in elsewhere with rival teams.

“But even a lot of the younger girls we got like Emma Paki, Makenzie Weale and Tiana Davison, I hadn’t met them before but the club had done a great job with recruiting a lot of others who have really played a part," Southwell said.

“There’s just no one here with an ego, that’s the big thing, they don’t talk down to anyone else and we all get along really well.”

While Hannah won't be running out on Sunday, bringing a premiership home to the Hunter after a recruitment strategy that has proved a masterstroke, will be just as satisfying for the local talent.

"It would be absolutely unreal, I said earlier to someone that I had a few videos of the 1997 grand final and photos and we actually watch it pretty regularly," Southwell said.

"Everyone's done a great job to make me still feel a part of it. It's obviously a bit annoying that I am not out there but I know the girls are going to do the job on the weekend and bring home the win."