The day rookie NRLW coach Ron Griffiths, full of ideas and plainly optimistic, stepped into the Newcastle front office, sorry Knights staffers inside had not witnessed a win.

Taken for granted, the year before was the club's first foray into female rugby league.

And four of the five consecutive losses in 2021 were against four established women's sides that had a start of four seasons on the Knights from the inaugural 2017 season.

There was only one way for Griffiths to go in the traditional heartland of the game.

Within two seasons in charge, the 45-year-old has revolutionised the entire vibe of the place while standing on the verge of matching the men's two premierships across 36 NSWRL/ARL/NRL seasons by adding a second title on Sunday in just year three.

On route down the M1 Pacific Motorway to Homebush into another NRLW grand final berth, the proud Gomeroi man has steered Newcastle to 15 wins and just two losses.

Had six from seven that included a semi-final success and a grand final triumph last year not been enough, the Knights have shown steely resolve to better that record.

Griffiths, in hindsight, has "no doubt" that he's a wiser coach this year than the last.

That comes about despite already having three years assisting former Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire part-time where he only called it quits to save on the long drives home while balancing early-morning work schedules in the local coal mines.

But validation also comes in the way of an invite asking Griffiths to lend Laurie Daley a hand in the coaches box for a first Indigenous All-Stars game between NRLW seasons.

"I just think the lessons learned from last year are certainly better this year," Griffiths told National Indigenous Times.

"You're always learning different ways to do things, but I feel like 12 months on I'm, no doubt, a better coach because I'm more experienced at this level.

"I have had 12 months to run the program for our team and we're slowly building."

Slowly building may be an understatement for a man that some around the club – not Griffiths, who was said to have no interest – eyed him off to replace Adam O'Brien, off a poor six-win year in 2022, by the time that coach's contract expired at the end of 2024.

The stunning reversal of fortunes for the NRLW side has come down to a number of factors like Griffiths recruiting smarter than his English predecessor Casey Bromilow.

The popular face around the Hunter Valley coaching scene around finals series at the Mailand Pickers for years on end seemed to give Knights teammates – really playing from scratch still – some sort of sense of familiarity, stability, and game plan.

He believes the minor premiers – a first this year for these women – have been built into a better unit from the lineup that thrashed Parramatta 32-12 for last year's flag.

"I definitely think we have had to evolve our game and there were things that had to change because if we did the same thing, we would not have the same success again," Griffiths said.

"Just with the sheer turnover of players, we have had to evolve what we're doing, and our players have been marvellous in terms of really grasping what we're trying to do but also driving it."

Gold Coast was one of four new teams in the expanded women's competition this year, but has surprised most to finish third with a 6-3 record, two wins behind the Knights.

The firm favourites in the direct curtain-raiser for the NRL's showpiece certainly will not be taking the green Titans lightly.

A second season was all it took before Newcastle began to first shock its capable rivals before then pinching a premiership from them.

Griffiths has drummed that reality into his charges about why the Gold Coast could do the same in one season, playing just seven games less in its history than Newcastle.

"There is no doubt some things you can certainly lean on, but it's a different year, and a different team – it's different everything really with them," he said.

"Both clubs have had a lot of roll over of players, obviously.

"So it's certainly different competition with a very different scenario."

There's no Millie Boyle for the Newcastle this grand final around, losing its captain in a move to her third NRLW club in three years.

But Knights superstar Tamika Upton is coming straight off winning the women's Dally M award on Monday night.

Griffiths said her peers should rally behind the Baradha woman after paying tribute to the women around her in a heartfelt speech at rugby league's gala event.

"I think it could go either way, but it shouldn't be a distraction," he said.

"One, it's great to acknowledge Tamika's personal achievement.

"If you heard what she said on the night, she spoke about the teammates around her.

"Rather than being a distraction, I think it's probably something that everyone at the club is proud of."