Hundreds of Knights fans took in an open training session at the club's centre of excellence this week, but did they spot a keen observer from another code?
In a friendly exchange between Newcastle's two professional sports clubs, none other than Jets coach Mark Milligan was at Knights HQ on Wednesday.
Rugged up in a thick black jacket, he largely blended in among the crowd of onlookers.
But Milligan wasn't at the Broadmeadow fields for an autograph, he was there on the invitation of Knights coach Justin Holbrook.
"I invited him," Holbrook said.
"I went and met Mark a while ago, when I hadn't been up here long.
"I thought what he has done for this city, this town, was tremendous.
"I firstly just wanted to meet him. I like talking to other coaches - I had a coffee with Eddie Jones when he was up here last week with Japan.
"It's my job to keep learning for the playing group."
Milligan, in his first year as head coach of an A-League club, led the Jets to an Australia Cup and Premiers' Plate.
The Jets fell a win short of making - and hosting - the grand final, losing a two-legged semi-final in a penalty shootout in May.
It was an inspiring campaign, and one achieved with limited resources as well.
Before coaching, Sydney-born Milligan had a long and successful playing career, making more than 350 club appearances including a brief stint in Newcastle in 2008-09.
Holbrook also hails from Sydney, but spent a few years playing for the Knights around 2000.
At 40, Milligan is a relatively young coach and 10 years younger than Holbrook, but that didn't stop the Knights mentor from seeking out the former Australian player.
"I've had a couple of coffees with him and he was keen to come in and sit in for the day," Holbrook said.
"I really enjoyed having him here, and just having him speak to the playing group - I think it's good timing with the World Cup at its peak, he played in four of them.
"Lots of experience in his field and it transfers over into other sports."
Hopefully Milligan's presence pays off. The Locker Room would love to see the Knights host a home semi-final this year.
The Newcastle Northstars put up an interesting post on Facebook this week, calling on certain fans to check their behaviour at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium.
"Because our grandstands offer such a close, tight-knit viewing experience, sound travels easily. Recently, we have received a few complaints regarding offensive language and discriminatory remarks directed toward other Northstars fans, opposing players and officials.
"We have always prided ourselves on being a family-based club. We love seeing children and families cheering together in the stands, and we want to ensure our environment remains welcoming and positive for everyone. Negative or discriminatory behaviour simply has no place at our games."
The post was signed off by Northstars general manager and rink owner Garry Dore.
Contacted by the Newcastle Herald, Dore didn't want to elaborate on any specifics, but said "a little bit of language" and "discriminatory remarks, just like some fans do, particularly against other opposing players or officials".
"It's just something we're trying to crack down on," he added.
"We don't mind people cheering and the odd bit of bantering and giving some people a hard time, we just don't like it getting offensive or aggressive."
Despite the issue, the Australian Ice Hockey League club continues to attract tremendous support. They sold out every men's home game midway through the season.
"The following has been awesome," Dore said. "Great support, great fans and the team is doing well.
"We have to turn a lot of people away. It's getting very popular, and not just us, every team in the league is going through the same thing."
After 21 games, including 14 regular-time wins, Newcastle lead the 10-team AIHL but are level on 44 competition points with Perth Thunder.
They host last-placed Adelaide Adrenaline on Sunday, before a trip to Perth next week. They then have four home games through August before the play-offs.
Several Knights players have donned the jerseys of local clubs to help promote Sleapy's Day.
The annual event, held at Townson Oval in Merewether, raises funds for Sleapy's Foundation, which was set up by club legend Peter Sleap and helps those battling illness or hardship.
A top-of-the-table clash between men's first-grade leaders Maitland Pickers and South Newcastle Lions is the main game of several Newcastle Rugby League fixtures on Saturday.
Knights forward Mat Croker has never played for the Lions, but living close to the ground, he has adopted the club as his team, who his cousin Mitch Black plays for. He wore a Souths jersey and delivered a video message posted on social media.
There's no doubt who fellow Knight Tom Cant is supporting, the East Maitland Griffins junior brimming with pride in a Pickers jersey.
Event tickets remained on sale as of Friday.
Newcastle Jockey Club's flagship race, The Hunter, has taken a hit after being denied Group status. The 1300-metre, $1 million race, to be held at Broadmeadow racecourse on November 14, has dropped back to a Listed event. It had initially been given Group 2 status by Racing NSW, but the Asian Pattern Committee has since deemed it Listed.
"It's disappointing of course to lose Group status for The Hunter, especially considering the list of winners," NJC chief executive Duane Dowell told industry news website Provincial Racing NSW.
"Coal Crusher won twice in 2023 and last year, and the 2024 winner Briasa went on to win the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick.
"However, the Asian Pattern Committee, in reassessing a lot of races in the new season, did not consider The Hunter to be a Group 2.
"Nonetheless, I'm confident we're very close to getting back to at least a Group 3 rating. The race is such that it deserves no less."
Merewether hooker Matt Baggs won't have to look far for motivation - or a rehab partner - as he recovers from a serious knee injury.
Baggs tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in late May. He had surgery in June and plans to be back next season.
In a cruel twist, Baggs' girlfriend, Cerys O'Grady-Cousins has now torn her ACL.
O'Grady-Cousins plays hooker for the Greens women's team and will have surgery next month.
Keeping it in the family, Cerys' young brother Bryn has stepped up in place of Baggs in the first grade front row.
Mayfield United Football Club will be raising funds close to their hearts when they host Ladies Day at Mayfield Park on Sunday.
Vice-president Krissy Marshall said funds this year would be donated to John Hunter Hospital's paediatric oncology department and research into glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive grade 4 brain tumour, in children.
Mayfield United's B-grade coach Tim Ward lost his son Hunter to GBM two years ago at the age of 17.
Ladies Day will comprise three Newcastle Football All Age Women's matches with the first kicking off at 10am.
Mayfield player Britt Reardon, a wedding and events singer, will perform between 10.30am and noon before taking the field in the A-grade match against Hamilton Azzurri at 1pm.
