Quick plays: All you need to know from a weekend of sport in Newcastle

Maitland Magpies celebrate winning the NPLM Northern NSW premiership at Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Maitland Magpies celebrate winning the NPLM Northern NSW premiership at Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Maitland Magpies celebrate winning the NPLM Northern NSW premiership at Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Maitland Magpies celebrate winning the NPLM Northern NSW premiership at Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle championship netball grand final between West Leagues Balance and University of Newcastle at National Park on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Newcastle Rugby League preliminary final between Macquarie and Cessnock at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup elimination final between Cardiff and Newcastle City at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup elimination final between Cardiff and Newcastle City at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup elimination final between Cardiff and Newcastle City at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup elimination final between Cardiff and Newcastle City at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup elimination final between Cardiff and Newcastle City at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup elimination final between Cardiff and Newcastle City at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Black Diamond Cup Women's qualifying final between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Silverware was claimed, grand final appearances booked and seasons ended in heartache in an action-packed weekend of sport in Newcastle held in difficult weather conditions.

Captain Braedyn Crowley scored a hat-trick as Maitland Magpies secured their second NPLM Northern NSW premiership with a 3-1 win over last year's winners Lambton at Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday.

It proved a sweet win for Maitland, who were one point behind Jaffas and still to play them when last season was cut two rounds short because of COVID-19.

"We put ourselves in a position to win the comp but COVID prevented that, so to get that same opportunity, at their ground, it couldn't have been a better way to win it," an ecstatic Magpies coach Michael Bolch said.

"I couldn't be more proud of the boys."

Maitland will have the weekend off as finals begin. Magic will play Jaffas and Olympic meet Charlestown.

Fourth crown a long time coming

It was three years in the making but West Leagues Balance continued their domination of Newcastle netball by beating University of Newcastle 51-38 in the championship grand final held in wind-swept conditions at National Park on Saturday.

West have now won four grand finals in a row and have not been beaten for championship glory since entering Newcastle's premier competition in 2017.

Goal keeper Sammie Chicken was named MVP of the grand final and described her first win in Newcastle as "amazing" after nearly being lost to the sport.

So close for heroic Northstars

They may have ultimately fallen short of their goal to win a seventh Goodall Cup in Australian Ice Hockey League, defeated 3-2 by Canberra in Sunday's grand final in Melbourne, but the Newcastle Northstars gave it an almighty shake.

Newcastle lined up for a third play-off game in as many days on Sunday and refused to give up until the final whistle with departing veteran Robert Malloy scoring inside the last 10 seconds.

Mixed day for Knights

Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien has vowed to be back "bigger and better" next year after his side ended a horror NRL season with a record-equalling defeat against Cronulla at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.

In better news for Knights fans, the club's NRLW side continued its winning ways with a last-gasp 18-16 victory over Parramatta to qualify for finals.

Newcastle are unbeaten in three starts of their second NRLW campaign.

In other Knights news, champions Robbie O'Davis, Steve Simpson and Kurt Gidley were inducted into the club's Hall of Fame.

What else happened

The Macquarie Scorpians booked their grand final appearance in Newcastle Rugby League with a "gutsy" win over Cessnock.

They did however lose forward Matt Moon, who was taken to hospital after the game and diagnosed with a torn adductor.

Newcastle City booked another grand final appearance in Black Diamond Cup Women's after beating Cardiff in the qualifying final at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday.

The Hawks get another shot at making their first Cup women's grand final when they face Killarney Vale in the preliminary final this weekend.

In the men's Black Diamond Cup action, Killarney Vale are the first team through to the championship decider and the winner between Terrigal-Avoca and the Hawks in this weekend's preliminary final will join them.

Norths clinched a spot in the Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League men's grand final after finding a late winner in Sunday's major semi-final at the Newcastle International Hockey Centre.

The Hunter Rugby Union semi-finals scheduled for over the weekend at No.2 Sportsground were postponed due to the weather.