Canberra forward Liam Knight outed as huge Cronulla fan ahead of crunch round 19 clash
EIGHT years ago, Canberra forward Liam Knight was fresh off the Sharks Supporters Club bus, screaming at the Raiders players. This Friday night, he’ll be on the receiving end — and his mates can’t wait.
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LIAM Knight had spirit fingers.
The Canberra Raiders forward knew the team songs, the chants and of course, when to twinkle all 10 fingers toward former Cronulla sharpshooter, Luke Covell.
Rugby League truly is, the game that keeps on giving.
Because ahead of Friday night’s crucial clash between Cronulla and Canberra at Shark Park, we learn for the first time that only a few years ago, Knight was yelling, screaming and cursing the Raiders, as a fanatical member of the Sharks no.1 supporter’s group.
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“Can you let him know he’s going to cop it,’’ long-time Cronulla Sharks Supporter Club (CSSC) member, Chris O’Dea asked The Telegraph.
“We know he’s a closet Sharks fan and we’re going to give him so much stick.’’
The thing is, Knight, 23, knows exactly what’s coming.
Only a few years ago, he was one of the 150-strong army, complete with members-only blue, black and white supporters jersey.
Indeed, it was ironically eight years ago, almost to the day that Knight, climbed aboard what the CSSC call their “Bus of Dreams” on a road trip to Canberra Stadium in Round 20 of the 2010 season.
The CSSC posted a photo on Instagram of a 15-year-old Knight riding home Covell’s attempt at conversion.
Knight’s teenage allegiance for the Sharks stems from living under the same roof as Matt Roberts, a tragic Cronulla supporter, who billeted the aspiring young footballer when he moved from the Northern Territory to The Entrance as a junior.
“Liam joined the CSSC back in 2008 and between then and 2011, he was there every week with Matt at home and away games with us, supporting Cronulla,’’ CSSC president Nate Eikenhout said.
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“He did the road trips, he sang the songs, his last game with us was at a semi final in 2015 against Souths.
“He’s played a couple of times at Shark Park since for Manly, once when he got man of the match in 2015 in the under-20s, but never in an NRL match.
“Talking to Matt, he said Liam almost sees this as a homecoming.
“He’s been a massive Sharks fan for so long and now he’s playing against the club he supported for the first time in an NRL game.
“He’s had this game pencilled in for a while as the game he’s wanted to play in.
“What’s been noticeable to Matt and those who know him well, is that in the games that he has played in this year for Canberra, he’s always the last player off the field.
“He’ll hang back and high-five the fans and sign jerseys.
“He knows what it’s like to be a fan with the CSSC and obviously he wants to give back as much as he can.’’
Knight was boarding the Raiders team bus when The Telegraph reached out to him on Thursday.
With so much at stake for a Canberra side needing to win to keep their finals hopes alive, Knight was sensibly coy about declaring his one-time passion for the opposition.
“I wouldn’t say I was a diehard fan, but it was always a lot of fun on the hill and I just loved watching footy,’’ Knight said.
“Obviously I’m with the Raiders now so I’m looking forward to heading back to the ground and getting the win for the Green Machine.”
That said, Knight’s old mates in the stands at Shark Park can’t forget the bus rides and annual support, which is why they plan to present him with a gift at full-time.
“We’ve got a 2018 supporters club jersey to give to him after the game,’’ Eikenhout said.
“He can do with it whatever he wants, but it’s just something to remind him of where he’s comes from.’’
Originally published as Canberra forward Liam Knight outed as huge Cronulla fan ahead of crunch round 19 clash
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