From McDonald's owner to multi-million-dollar empire: where 2001 Knights stars landed
Twenty-five years after Newcastle won the premiership, former player Matt Gidley now owns multiple McDonald's franchises.
The 2001 Knights side stunned Parramatta to claim the premiership, and those 17 players have scattered across very different careers since. Matt Gidley, a centre who was crucial to the win, left the game and spent around nine months of interviews and training at McDonald's before becoming a franchisee.
He's built an empire now worth hundreds of millions. Timana Tahu scored the match-sealing try and went on to play for NSW and Australia.
He later switched to rugby union, testing himself against the Wallabies, before returning to the NRL and now works as a business development officer for the league. Craig Wing played wing before moving to fullback and centre, earning a State of Origin call-up that season.
Brett Mullins was another who went on to representative honour. David Furner also featured in that grand final side.
Fullback Craig Fitzgibbon has battled chronic traumatic encephalopathy since retirement.
- 25
- Years since premiership
- 17
- Players in 2001 grand final
- 196
- Tahu's NRL games
- 5
- Tahu's Australia appearances
Why it mattersAs Newcastle chases its first premiership in 25 years, it's worth knowing where that legendary 2001 side ended up.
AustraliaThe story highlights how NRL players of that era have built diverse careers in business, sport management, and other fields across Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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