Ten Hurt as Car Hits Crowd at Newcastle Knights Send-Off

Ten people, two of them critically injured, were taken to hospital on Saturday after a car crashed into a crowd of Newcastle Knights supporters who had gathered to send the team off to Sunday's NRL Grand Final in Sydney.

The crash happened at a roundabout in Wallsend, a suburb a few kilometres west of Newcastle's city centre, where fans had lined the streets hoping to cheer the Knights on their way south. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the car veering off its path and into the gathered crowd without warning.

All ten injured were taken to John Hunter Hospital. Two remain in a critical condition, while the other eight are being treated for injuries authorities have described as serious.

Police arrested the driver at the scene, an 18-year-old on a provisional licence. Officers allege he had been driving erratically in the moments before the crash, then lost control of the vehicle and ploughed into the crowd. He is expected to face charges once the investigation is complete.

The send-off had drawn large numbers of fans to the Wallsend area, with the Knights set to take on their rivals in Sunday's decider at Sydney's Accor Stadium. Supporters had turned out in club colours to farewell the team before the bus convoy left for the grand final, a show of support that has become common practice in Newcastle during finals weeks.

The incident has shaken a community that had been anticipating a celebratory weekend regardless of the result on the field. Local residents near the roundabout said they heard the crash before realising a crowd of supporters had been hit, with several people rushing to help the injured before paramedics arrived.

A police spokesperson said witnesses reported the car had been driving erratically moments earlier, colliding with pedestrians within metres of the roundabout. Paramedics treated the injured at the scene before they were taken to hospital.

New South Wales Police say the investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash, including the driver's speed and the condition of the vehicle, is continuing. The case is likely to renew attention on the restrictions placed on provisional licence holders, who face tighter rules around speed and vehicle power in New South Wales because of their higher crash risk.

Authorities have not yet released updated conditions for those hospitalised beyond the initial assessment at the scene, and police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash, or who has dashcam footage from the area beforehand, to come forward. The Knights organisation is yet to comment publicly on the incident ahead of Sunday's match.