Last night was perhaps a pivotal step in Nathan Tinkler officially owning the Newcastle Knights club, with the Knights board giving an in-principle approval for Tinkler’s $100 million offer for the club.
Rob Tew, the Knights chairman who was present at the meeting, last night announced that the Knights would put forth the proposal of the buy-out plan to all of their members by March at the latest.
The offer from Tinkler is guaranteed to ensure that the Knights will gain $10 million a year in sponsorship for the next 10 years, as well as wiping out any lingering debt that the Knights will have, believed to be $4 million
Tinkler’s offer received welcome support from the Newcastle community and former Knights players.
Paul Harragon, who is a Knights premiership winning captain, says that the club has to take advantage of the offer put forth by Tinkler, sentiments which are echoed by another Knights legend in Andrew Johns.
Harragon, who wrote an open letter, described the offer from Tinker has extraordinary opportunity to protect the Knights club and organisation, and keep them financially viable for many years to come.
“It gives us a very real chance to become a club that is always a likely top-four finisher rather than simply a top-eight hopeful as we’ve become accustomed to in recent times,” he wrote.
“Very importantly, it delivers for players increased resources and confidence to go forward and build a much stronger platform for investment in the juniors and the local league. All in all, it would be a real shot in the arm for the future of rugby league in the region.”