In their first player retention since Nathan Tinkler took over as owner of the NRL club and Wayne Bennett was secured as coach for the next four years, the Knights announced today that Gidley had extended his tenure in his home town for four more years.

The 28-year-old Newcastle-born Australian utility and former NSW captain and fullback has played 173 NRL games for the Knights since his debut against the Dragons on August 17, 2001.

Gidley has played 11 Test matches for Australia and 10 State of Origin appearances for NSW, including five as captain.

“I’m a Newcastle boy, I played my junior football with Wests Newcastle and have followed the Knights since the club’s inception in 1988,’’ Gidley said.

“It was always a dream of my brother Matt and I to represent our community by playing for the Knights, and we are lucky enough to have had the opportunity to do so.

“I believe that the Newcastle Knights are building towards a very exciting future with a team that is capable of bringing the Newcastle and Hunter region its third premiership combined with a prosperous future.”

Gidley’s signature is tipped to be the first of many as the Knights, who hope to recruit Dragons international Darius Boyd and Sharks prop Kade Snowden, and retain hooker Isaac De Gois, New Zealand Test centre Junior Sa’u and utility Matt Hilder.

The announcement came a day after the Knights launched their ‘‘Strength in Numbers – Target 10,000’’ campaign, in which they hope to sign 10,000 new ticketed members before the team’s next home game at Ausgrid Stadium against New Zealand Warriors on May 15.

Knights coach Rick Stone, who will make way for Bennett at the end of this season, hoped the retention of Gidley would give the team a boost as they prepare for a daunting trip to Canberra Stadium to tackle the Raiders on Sunday.

“Kurt is an integral part of our club’s community both on and off the field, he is an inspirational captain on the field, and I hope that today our members join us by encouraging their friends and family to commit to the Knights,” Stone said.

“Kurt epitomises what is good about the Newcastle Knights and the Hunter region. We are delighted that he is in the position to be a Knight for life by remaining a one-club player, which is rare in the modern game.”