The highlights for Knights fans collectively in the main match were few and far between, but individually there were dozens.

Each glance back by a young fan - "Yes! That's Kalyn Ponga."

"Wow, Andrew Fafita's even bigger than I thought."

And from their parents or more likely grandparents -  "Isn't Wayne Pearce looking fit?".

For me it was the chance to see the mighty Paul Gallen up close.

Here he was sitting only metres away, the man who had terrorised my beloved Maroons in countless State of Origin series.

It was a bit like meeting Pickers legend Terry Pannowitz for the the first time. The legend didn't quite tally with the size of the man in front of me.

Which in turn makes you realise just how even more impressive their records are.

Man crush, No.

I got to meet Queensland and Australian legend Greg Dowling several times in Cairns and if ever I had a rugby league man-crush it belongs to him, but I did leave a little in awe of the former Blues skipper and enforcer.

NRL and A-League at Maitland Sportsground is up close and personal and long may the Newcastle Knight and Newcastle Jets share the experience with us.

For the second year running the result didn't go the Knights nor their fans way and to be honest the 30-6 scoreline could have been worse.

But in the distorted logic of a footy fan, it does mean the Knights have to come back next year now, they have to win at least once in Maitland.

And that means another dose of my favourite part of the whole event, the crowd milling with the players after the game.

If the NRL could bottle moments like these they would have the public relations equivalent of Napisan.

Sprinkle a little over the latest player scandal and the rest in the wash and no more stain on the game.

But this is part of the "people's game" which cannot be contorted, contrived and hopefully never compromised as young fans get a moment with the genuine superstars of the game.

What 10-year-old boy or girl will not remember the day they got their photo taken with their Knights heroes Kalyn Ponga, Mitchell Pearce, David Klemmer, Danny Levi, Connor Watson and Shaun Kenny-Dowell  or Sharks Andrew Fafita, Paul Gallen, Josh Morris, Josh Dugan and Matt Moylan.

The stars gave freely of themselves and the young fans were in awe and hopefully a life-long affection for the game will be created.

The NRL at it's best is a great game and the people's game and at places like the Maitland Sportsground in front of grass-roots fans the NRL gets to be at its best.

Congratulations to the Knights, Sharks, Maitland City Council, Maitland Pickers and all those involved in a great day.