Danika Mason’s fiance, Liam Knight, has been handed a rugby league lifeline, agreeing to terms with local NSW footy side the Cessnock Goannas.
Knight trained with the squad on Tuesday for the first time and could line up for the club as soon as this weekend, after making the international transfer straight from Hull KR.
Knight and Mason got engaged last year and had been living on opposite sides of the world for some time as the forward continued his rugby league career in the UK.
However, the 31-year-old asked for an immediate release to return to Australia to be closer to his fiancee back in February, just two games into the 2026 Super League season.
The Super League outfit agreed and released him on compassionate grounds.
And now he has found a new home at the Cessnock Goannas after backflipping on joining The Entrance at the 11th hour, citing travel as a major reason, according to the Newcastle Weekly.
But it means Knight will now line up for a team even further away from Mason, playing in the local Newcastle footy competition the 10-team Denton Engineering Cup.
During the week, Knight will be some two and a half hours away from Mason’s Maroubra townhouse.
However, the Newcastle club gives him the chance to impress NRL teams Down Under as he looks to return to the premier Australian rugby league competition.
His first task is getting the Goannas back on track, having suffered a 40-12 thumping at the hands of the South Newcastle Lions in Round 1.
The forward has shown his quality in both the NRL and Super League, despite brief stints in both.
Knight played 19 games for Hull FC after an 83-game NRL career that included stints at the Bulldogs, South Sydney, Manly and Canberra.
He started his career with one game for Manly in 2016, before playing nine games for Canberra across the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
A four-year stint at Souths followed before linking up with Canterbury, where he would just manage seven games between 2023 and 2024.
He then made the move to England to get his career back on track.
But while there he made no secret of his desire to return to the NRL, saying as much last year on the Elevate with Mets podcast while still contracted to Hull.
“I want to come back to the NRL,” he declared.
“I love it over there (in England). I love playing footy. The crowds are hectic, the fans are cool, and it’s good quality football.
“I went there to win, I’m not there on a holiday. I’m over here doing long distance, missing everyone at home, my girlfriend and everyone.
“I’m not here to muck around. I want to make a difference and be a leader, win some games and then come back to the NRL.”
