THE official head count was 32,890, an Ausgrid Stadium record, and the vast majority were there to pay homage to the Great Man.
In years to come, being able to tell your grandchildren you were in the crowd when Darren Lockyer played his last game of rugby league on Australian soil will be a memory far more valuable than the price of admission at the turnstiles.
The footballing gods have rarely been kind to the Novocastrian faithful when it comes to farewelling their footballing heroes.
Knights champions Andrew Johns, Paul Harragon and Steve Simpson were all forced into retirement by injuries and did their respective laps of honour in suit and tie.
So too Danny Buderus before heading to Leeds Rhinos, although he gets an unexpected chance to redress that next year with a swansong season at the age of 34.
But if such anti-climactic exits have been a disappointment for Newcastle fans, then the news that Turton Road would be the venue for Lockyer's 56th Test match was a delightful and unexpected bonus.
And for all those who marvelled one last time yesterday at the little master's array of skill, guile and resilience, a debt of gratitude is owed to Nathan Tinkler.
It was Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group who contacted the NRL more than six months ago, inquiring about the possibility of staging any upcoming marquee events.
When the NRL mentioned a trans-Tasman Test match in October, HSG instantly signalled their desire to be involved, on one proviso -- tickets had to be affordable so Hunter families could attend.
A full house would suggest that objective was achieved.
Just as he did last year when he underwrote the visit by David Beckham and the LA Galaxy, Tinkler had to deliver a significant down payment to secure yesterday's fixture.
Unlike the Beckham match, this time the billionaire owner of the Knights and Jets appears unlikely to break even.
With the NRL collecting all gate-takings and a cut of the corporate hospitality, it is understood yesterday's production will cost Tinkler well into six figures.
But by all accounts the self-made tycoon figured that was a small price to pay for a parting glimpse of one of the game's Immortals.
Another gift to the region from a bloke with deep pockets and no qualms about dipping into them.
Tinkler may have been absent last November when Beckham showcased his skills, but he was in the crowd yesterday, albeit keeping a trademark low profile.
Rarely one to court the spotlight, Tinkler was no doubt content to simply kick back and enjoy the show.
And the star attraction, the man wearing the green-and-gold No.6 jersey, did not take long to stamp his class on proceedings.
Launching a kick on the fifth tackle of the match, Lockyer copped a forearm to the face from New Zealand prop Russell Packer.
The Kangaroos skipper, of course, has not played since having his cheekbone smashed in Brisbane's play-off win against St George Illawarra on September 17.
Dazed, he regained his feet, and barely two minutes later created the game's opening try, scored by Knights flyer Akuila Uate on his Test debut.
Scripts like that usually belong in fairytales.
But then Lockyer's career merits its own extensive chapter in rugby league folklore.
An unmatched 355 first-grade games for Brisbane.
Four premierships, 36 Origins, and 56 Tests.
And a 42-6 triumph yesterday that earned him man-of-the-match honours, an early mark from Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens, and a guard of honour from his teammates as he left the field.
Afterwards, at the post-match press conference, Lockyer was his usual humble self.
"The weather was fantastic, the crowd was fantastic, it all sort of fell into place,'' he said.
"We had a good win. I couldn't ask any more as a farewell for my playing days in Australia.''
Lockyer said after spending the week in Newcastle "you get an idea of how much they love their rugby league . . . for me, I'm very appreciative of the support the public have showed me.''
As 32,890 Ausgrid Stadium patrons would testify, the feeling was mutual.
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