▁the ▁final s ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁week ▁by ▁the ▁Bul ld ogs . ▁ ▁Season ▁summary ▁The ▁Kn ights ▁won ▁ 9 ▁consecutive ▁games ▁at ▁Energy Austral ia ▁Stadium , ▁breaking ▁the ▁previous ▁home ▁record ▁of ▁ 8 . ▁Season ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁also ▁saw ▁coach ▁Brian ▁Smith ▁s ack ed ▁after ▁announ cing ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 9 ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁signed ▁a ▁four - year ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Ro ost ers , ▁and ▁subsequently ▁the ▁team ▁fal tered ▁as ▁they ▁lost ▁three ▁consecutive ▁games ▁until ▁New castle ▁officials ▁dismiss ed ▁Smith ▁and ▁appointed ▁assistant ▁coach ▁Rick ▁Stone . ▁The ▁season ▁began ▁well ▁for ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁with ▁the ▁side ▁winning ▁ 7 ▁of ▁their ▁opening ▁ 1 0 ▁games ▁and ▁were ▁sitting ▁equal ▁first ▁with ▁the ▁Bul ld ogs , ▁St . ▁George ▁Il la war ra ▁and ▁the ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁with ▁ 1 4 ▁points . ▁However , ▁during ▁the ▁representative ▁season , ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁strugg led ▁and ▁went ▁through ▁a ▁bad ▁period ▁of ▁ 7 ▁losses ▁in ▁ 1 1 ▁games , ▁the ▁last ▁three ▁losses ▁were ▁recorded ▁after ▁news ▁broke ▁of ▁Smith ' s ▁departure ▁from ▁the ▁club . ▁With ▁Stone ▁in ▁charge , ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁won ▁ 3 ▁of ▁their ▁last ▁ 4 ▁games ▁to ▁secure ▁ 7 th ▁place ▁and ▁a ▁final s ▁ber th ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁Match ▁results ▁ ▁N RL ▁Stand ings ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Squad ▁