The moments that mattered in grand final for the ages

It was a grand final for the ages. The Knights, second best for most of an absorbing 80 minutes, refused to wilt. They kept fighting and nearly pulled off a miracle end to a fairytale season. Here are the moments that mattered.

ARROW TO THE HEART

There was barely a dry eye in the house. Forget Robbie Williams, forget Meat Loaf, forget Macklemore, forget Tones and I.

The singalong tribute by Amy Shark, Phil Jamieson and Newcastle's own Dave Gleeson was the perfect act at the perfect moment.

They started with You'll Never Walk Alone and finished with Simply the Best.

More than 80,000 belted out the words as Arrow did a final victory lap.

Then it was over to the fans.

Knights jerseys outnumbered the Roosters two to one. Kalyn Ponga was everywhere you looked. Well, at least cardboard cutouts of the Knights skipper. Add Bradman Best, Fletcher Sharpe, Tyson Frizell and just about every other Knight.

Earlier, more than 2000 fans went nuts out the front of the Pullman Hotel as the Knights boarded the bus for the two minute trip to Accor Stadium two hours before kick-off.

The players must have walked straight from the bus in the bowels of Accor Stadium up onto the pitch to get a taste of the atmosphere.

They could have been on the promenade at Merewether Beach. Francis Manuleleua danced to his own beat, jigging and jiving and throwing out high fives to the non-playing squad members. Fletcher Sharpe hugged suspended peop Jacob Saifiti like a favourite uncle. Jermain McEwen pointed out people in the crowd and waved, all smiles.

In the background the NRLW premiers, the Roosters, were receiving their winners' medals.

Then almost as soon as they appeared, they were gone.

Game on.

OFF THE BACK FENCE

Whooaaaaaaaa.

If Accor Stadium had a roof, it would have been blown to Mars.

The ground announcer, the familiar booming voice of Novocastrian Glen Hawke, roared "Let me hear you Newcastle" and boy did they respond as Kalyn Ponga ran out like a man on a mission.

The Roosters had won the toss and elected to run towards the northern end, meaning the Knights kicked off.

Fletcher Sharpe sent it deep into the left corner for Naufahu Whyte to launch.

He was met by a wall led by Cody Hopwood and Tom Cant.

Ten seconds in, the "New-car-sal" chant boomed out. The first of 100 renditions.

FANCY FRANCIS

After absorbing a ton of early pressure, the Knights struck the all-important first blow.

A penalty against Lindsay Collins for nearly decapitating Mat Croker gave the Knights territory for the first time in the opening 15 minutes.

They shifted the ball left and Sharpe put Manuleleua into a hole. The smiling back-rower ran a great line and raced over untouched under the posts. Sandon Smith added the extras for 6-0.

SUPER K

After pulling off a front-on shot on Whyte earlier, Ponga saved a certain try in the 27^th minute. Mark Nawaqanitawase did what he does and defied gravity, climbing above the pack. As he was about to ground the ball, Ponga hit him like a shot out of a gun and did enough to knock the ball from the winger's grasp. Referee Adam Gee missed the drop but the Bunker didn't.

Ponga doubled down three minutes later. This time "Marky Mark" flew high and batted the ball back. Ponga pounced and took off. It was a race and with the Knights faithful urging the skipper on like a Melbourne Cup favourite, he raced away for 12-0 after 30 minutes.

It was the Knights' 36^th try from inside their own half this season.

ROOSTER BOOSTER

The match was on a knife's edge at half-time with the Knights up 12-6. The Roosters opened the second half in the same manner as the first - camped on the Knights' line.

Time and time again the Knights cut them down. Sharpe scrambled to knock a Nawaqanitawase grubber dead. Sharpe again was the hero cutting the legs out from under James Tedesco.

Smith was next, producing an ankle cutter on Salesi Foketi.

Just as the Knights looked as though they had hung on, Billy Smith muscled his way over the try line. Jermain McEwen and Dane Gagai did their best to hold the centre up but he slipped an arm out and got the pill down.

All of a sudden, everything was going the Roosters' way.

Ten minutes later and with nothing on, Daly Cherry-Evans sent a grubber which bounced into the upright, rebounded over Sharpe and ended up with Nawaqanitawase scoring in the corner and leaving Knights fans with heads in hands.

DROP GOAL DAGGER

The Knights were running on empty. No energy means no urgency and no pressure.

Cherry-Evans had enough time to make a cup of tea before he landed a field goal from 15 metres out to extend the gap to 19-12.

WHERE THERE IS HOPE?

This Knights team is made of different gravy. They looked gone. Dead. Buried. Then with hope almost dry, they went down the short side. Sharpe to Bradman Best to Greg Marzhew, who spun inside the cover and crashed over. Smith converted from the sideline for a grandstand finish. 19-18 with two minutes remaining.

The Knights needed one more clutch play, one more piece of brilliance. In the end it wasn't to be. The Roosters tucked the ball under the arm and burrowed to ground like a wombat for five tackles.

At full-time, the Knights to a man collapsed to the ground exhausted. The fans, though disappointed, could not have been more proud.