Anthony Butterfield DOB: 4 February 1966 Birth Place: Penrith, NSW Height: 183cm, Weight: 103kg Marital Status: Married Preferred Position: Prop Previous Clubs: Penrith 1984-1987 Year Joined Knights: 1988 Most 1st Grade Games for the Knights Rep Honours: Australian Schoolboys 1983, City 1989,  NSW State of Origin 1998

TONY BUTTERFIELD (retired) 34 years old  (Born 4/2/66). 
Australian Schoolboy merit side 1983 (from Colyton High). 
Penrith 1984 - 87.
Played in the Knights' first premiership match (v. Parramatta), 1988. 
Played in Newcastle's premiership-winning side 1997. 
Represented City in 1989. 
One State of Origin match for NSW (1998). 
Holds the record for most first grade games for the Knights (227),  231 FG games.

A PHRASE coined by Newcastle Knights tough nut Tony Butterfield many moons ago has never rung truer. Approached by a long-faced reporter after a Newcastle loss early in the Knights' history, an upbeat Butterfield greeted him with: 
`Cheer up mate! Blue and red, never dead.' 

Anthony Butterfield has been with the Newcastle club since the very first game and, since then, has consistently provided stunning performances for his team. With team-mate, Paul Harragon, retiring due to injury half-way through this season, 'Butts' has taken over the captaincy role with ease. At the age of 33, Butterfield has shown time and time again that he is just as fit as he was the day he started, only stronger through experience and knowledge of his team's playing style. Season '99 was expected to be Butterfield's final year playing for the Knights but has instead decided to play on for one more season.

Butt's career started at Penrith in 1984, where he played about 80 games, only six in the first grade side.  A highlight being a reserve grade grand final win with Penrith against Manly, 11 - 0, in 1984. It was the middle of an unhappy 1987 season with Penrith and the 20-year-old tearaway colt from Colyton was offside with Panthers coach Tim Sheens. A week after a chance meeting with David Waite, Canterbury's reserve-grade coach that year, Butterfield's future in Newcastle was assured. "I'd been injured, I'd had a few weeks off, I was going nowhere, I didn't have a job, I was spending too much time down the pub, and all-in-all, I was struggling," Butterfield recalled. "I was just wondering at the age of 20 where the hell I was going.

"I'm very proud to have contributed to what the club's achieved over the years, and personally I'm proud of myself for a job well done. "I'd like to thank the Hunter faithful for 13 years of undying support for myself and the Newcastle Knights.

1988 - First-grade 
games: 20,  Tries: 4 
Knights' record: Played 22; won 5, lost 16, drew 1 
Team finished: 14th out of 16 
Grand final: Canterbury 24 d Balmain 12 
Highlight: Signed from Penrith's reserve-grade side, Butterfield is the inaugural winner of the Knights' Player of the Year award. His tough, no-nonsense style of play epitomises the Knights in their first season in the Sydney premiership. 

1989 - First-grade
games: 21,  Tries: 3 
Knights' record: Played 22; won 11, lost 11 
Team finished: 7th out of 16 
Grand final: Canberra 19 d Balmain 12 (in extra time) 
Highlight: Butterfield represents City Firsts and City Origin and the Knights win half their games in only their second season, finishing just two places out of the semi-finals. 

1990 - First-grade
games: 19,  Tries: 1 
Knights' record: Played 23; won 13, lost 8, drew 2 
Team finished: 6th out of 16 (lost play-off for 5th to Balmain) 
Grand final: Canberra 18 d Penrith 14 
Highlight: Butterfield scores a try in Newcastle's last-round win over Balmain to force a finals play-off against the same team two days later, which the Tigers win. He is later named in the Kangaroo train-on squad but Mark Sargent becomes Newcastle's only representative in the final touring party. 

1991 - First-grade 
games: 2,  Tries: 0 
Knights' record: Played 22; won 6, lost 13, drew 3 
Team finished: 13th out of 16 
Grand final: Penrith 19 d Canberra 12 
Highlight: More of a lowlight than a highlight. Knee and leg injuries which require various forms of surgery restrict Butterfield to only a handful of games. Foundation coach Allan McMahon quits mid-season and the Knights slide down the ladder. 

Butt's played season 1991 with a stress fracture in his leg,  the same leg went septic after routine surgery in the offseason and missed some of season 1992.  On his return game against Cronulla Butterfield shattered his arm,  missing another 16 weeks.  These are the only two lowlights in a 16 yr career. 

1992  - First-grade 
games: 3,  Tries: 0 
Knights' record: Played 24 games; won 13, lost 9, drew 2 
Team finished: 3rd out of 16 (4th after preliminary rounds)
Grand final: Brisbane 28 d St George 8 
Highlight: Like the previous season, few personal highlights after Butterfield breaks his arm in an early-round game and spends most of the year on the sidelines. He returns late in the season off the bench as the Knights make the semi-finals for the first time. 
 

Butterfield is entering his 17th year of grade his 13th with Newcastle after four with Penrith. It is a stunning achievement by a player who, as a prop, couldn't find anywhere to hide even if he wanted to. "I've put plenty of blood sweat and tears into the club over thirteen years and I am particularly proud to see it has grown into the club it has today."

1993 - First-grade 
games: 17,  Tries: 2 
Knights' record: Played 22 games; won 10, lost 12 
Team finished: 9th out of 16 
Grand final: Brisbane 14 d St George 6 
Highlight: Butterfield puts two years of injury-related inactivity behind him to force his way back into the Knights' pack alongside the likes of Harragon, Sargent, McCormack and Glanville. Inconsistency keeps the Knights well out of finals contention. 

1994 - First-grade
games: 13,  Tries: 2 
Knights' record: Played 22 games; won 9, lost 13 
Team finished: 10th out of 16 
Grand final: Canberra 36 d Canterbury 12
Highlight: Butterfield continues on the long road back to the top but misses five games mid-season through suspension. The Knights lose their last seven games to spiral out of finals contention but Butterfield qualifies for the reserve-grade grand final and comes off the bench in Newcastle's 14-4 loss to Cronulla. 

1995 - First-grade 
games: 16,  Tries: 3
Knights' record: Played 25 games; won 17, lost 8
Team finished: 3rd out of 20 (5th after preliminary rounds) 
Grand final: Sydney Bulldogs 17 d Manly 4 
Highlight: With former British Test coach Mal Reilly in charge, the Knights begin with a club record nine-game winning streak and end the year one game short of the grand final. Butterfield tears ankle ligaments in their 
12-4 elimination loss to Manly in the semi-finals. 

1996 - First-grade 
games: 21, Tries: 2 
Knights' record: Played 21 games; won 10, lost 10, drew 1 
Team finished: 9th out of 20 
Grand final: Manly 20 d St George 8 
Highlight: After finishing a game away from the grand final the previous year, the under-achieving Knights miss the semi-finals. A disappointing season from a team perspective is off-set slightly when Butterfield wins the Knights' Player of the Year and Players' Player awards. 

1997 - First-grade 
games: 26,  Tries: 2 
Knights' record: Played 26 games; won 17, lost 8, drew 1 
Team finished: 1st out of 12 (2nd after preliminary rounds) 
Grand final: Newcastle 22 d Manly 16 
Highlight: The Knights' Players' Player for the second year in a row, Butterfield plays all 26 games for the season and the Knights win their first premiership - beating Manly 22-16 in the final seconds of one of the greatest grand finals of all. The win sparks week-long celebrations in Newcastle. 

1998 - First-grade 
games: 25, Tries: 3 
Knights' record: Played 26 games; won 18, lost 7, drew 1
Team finished: Equal 5th out of 20 (equal 1st after preliminary rounds) 
Grand final: Brisbane 38 d Canterbury 12 
Highlight: After being overlooked by representative selectors for most of his career, Butterfield is recognised by earning his first NSW jersey for State of Origin III. The Knights overcome adversity on several fronts to finish equal first with eventual premiers Brisbane but successive semi-final losses end their campaign. 

1999 - First-grade 
games: 22, Tries: 3 
Knights' record: Played 25 games; won 14, lost 10, drew 1 
Team finished: Equal 7th out of 17 (7th after preliminary rounds) 
Grand final: Melbourne 20 d St George Illawarra 18 
Highlight: Butterfield plays more than 20 games for the fourth straight season. The Knights display some erratic form, including club record winning and losing margins only two weeks apart, and are bundled out by Parramatta in the first week of the finals. 

2000 - First-grade 
games: 23,  Tries: 2 
Knights' record: Played 27 games; won 16, lost 10, drew 1 
Team finished: 3rd out of 14 (semi-finals still in progress) 
Grand final: Bronco's d City Sydney
Highlight: In his 13th and final year with the club, Butterfield, his team-mates and their legions of loyal fans hope the highlight is yet to come. Leading his beloved Knights to grand final glory would be a fitting way for Butterfield to end his testimonial season.