A viral interview featuring Newcastle Knights great Matthew Johns and Nat Barr has resurfaced after the club reached its first NRL grand final in 25 years.
Johns became emotional on Sunday night after Newcastle defeated the Penrith Panthers to secure a place in the decider. Opening his Fox Sports programme, he struggled to contain his feelings as he reflected on the club’s long wait.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to say,” Johns said. “It was unbelievable. Incredible effort in that second half.”
He added: “I just feel so happy for all the fans … They’ve had to put up with a lot of s*** for a lot of years to get back to where they are now.”
The reaction prompted Barr to revisit one of the most memorable interviews from the Knights’ previous era of success: a chaotic live television appearance with Johns the morning after Newcastle won the 1997 premiership.
Johns was the only player willing to face the cameras after the celebrations. Barr recalled that the party was still in full swing, telling viewers that some players were not yet ready to appear on television and that the festivities could continue for a week.
Asked what it had felt like to return to Newcastle after the victory, Johns appeared overwhelmed. “It was better than … it was better than Lego. It was better than Lego. It was better than Lego,” he replied.
He went on to describe it as “the best feeling I’ve ever had”, while explaining that thousands of people had lined the streets to welcome the team home from Sydney.
The interview then descended into laughter as Johns struggled with Barr’s follow-up questions and teammates heckled him from behind the camera. His younger brother Andrew briefly joined in, wearing a red and blue fedora and holding a can, before Barr returned the programme to the Sydney studio.
Reflecting on the footage, Barr said there had been “a lot of emotion” and questioned whether Johns could remember the interview. Johns later admitted that he could not.
“I’ve just got to apologise to Natalie … every time I’ve seen Natalie, she goes, ‘do you remember that interview you did with me?’,” he said. “And I say, ‘actually, no I can’t, I do not remember it’.”
Johns left Newcastle after the 2000 season but his affection for the Knights has remained evident. The club will now face the Sydney Roosters in Sunday’s NRL grand final.
