Danny Buderus kicked his first and only goal on Old Boys Day.
It’s a game he looks back on with the fondest of memories and a hilarious tale.
It was 2013 and he’d just taken in a rousing speech from Knights legend Paul Harragon.
“I could listen to Chief all day,” he recalled on the Our Town Our Team podcast.
“Chief spoke about the privilege and understanding of everyone that’s out there and wants to be in your shoes.
“The honour to run out there in those colours that hit pretty hard.
The hooker knew it would be his final game in front of the blue and red faithful having announced his impending retirement from the NRL.
There was a lot to enjoy about that game.
A dominant 54-6 victory over Parramatta was a highlight, as was Buderus’ conversion with a bit of help from the ball boy.
“It was my last ever game at Newcastle and we beat Parramatta by 50, I think, in 2013 and I got to kick my first ever goal and I was getting a tip off the ball boy.
“The ball boy looked at me and said, ‘mate have you ever kicked a goal?’ and I said ‘no’, he goes ‘aim and keep your head down’. I said, ‘thanks for the tip’ and I kicked it.”
Ahead of the final home game for 2019, Buderus has spoken of the esteem the Knights Old Boys are held in.
With a massive contingent of Club greats expect at the game this weekend, Buderus said the current crop of players can expect to be judged and rightfully so.
“I think every Club looks at Newcastle envious of our Old Boys,” Buderus said.
“Old Boys Day, the reason why everyone plays so well is because they want the approval of what has gone before them. That’s the highly important thing of Old Boys Day.
“You get judged. There’s no doubt you get judged. These guys deserve the right to judge.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t come down to the points. It comes down to the effort ratio and what characteristics they display. That’s one thing we’ve always tried to drive at the back end of the season and definitely Old Boys Day.”
