Knights legend Marc Glanville has been left devastated after his 1997 premiership ring was accidentally placed in bags of clothes donated to the Salvos and then taken before it could be retrieved.
The 56-year-old former lock, who played 188 games for Newcastle culminating in the club's famous grand final victory over Manly, has launched an impassioned plea for the ring to be returned or for information that could help do so.
"I'm shattered," Glanville told the Newcastle Herald.
"It's probably more for my kids, to be able to give it to them as a memento."
As part of moving house, Glanville attended the Salvos Store on Newcastle Road in Wallsend on Sunday night to donate multiple bags of clothes. The store was closed, so he threw the bags over the fence - "unaware that you can't do that" - in the belief they would be collected by volunteers the next morning.
But after realising he was missing his premiership ring on Monday, he rushed to the store only to be told the "Coles bag" it was in had been rummaged overnight.
Glanville explained that the premiership ring, along with the wedding ring from his former marriage, had been located in a small box containing a Seiko watch.
The rings were under a cushion in the box, meaning whoever took it may not even realise they are there.
"I had three bags; two of those red, white and blue bags you get with clothes in them, and I had a Coles bag, which I'm pretty sure [the watch box] was in," he said.
"The Salvos said they chuck bags out that have been thrown over the fence because they might be contaminated or whatever, so we checked the bin and there wasn't anything in there. But the [Salvos] guy said the Coles bag had been gone through. They must have been able to reach through [the fence] and grab it."
The ring was Glanville's sole keepsake from the '97 premiership after auctioning his grand final jersey to raise money for charity in 2016.
The ring was one of "about 20" given to players in Newcastle's winning grand final side and a couple more who made significant contributions through the season.
"You can't miss it, it's got the Optus Cup on it, 19 one side and 97 on the other, and engraved grand final winners," Glanville said, adding the ring was not individually numbered, nor engraved with his initials or name.
The Triple M commentator is hopeful the ring might be returned out of goodwill but if not, he hopes sharing his story might help to source its eventual discovery.
"Just so people know, if they're going to try to hock it somewhere," Glanville said.
"The watch I got from the [United] States when I was over there, but it can be replaced - I'm not worried about it. But the grand final ring ... if someone tries to hock it, they'll know they haven't bought it from somewhere. It may turn up in another 10 years, who knows."
Glanville, who recently left his role as general manager of Newcastle Rugby League, played 242 top-flight games in a 13-year career spanning St George, Newcastle and Leeds Rhinos in England.
He continues to reside in Newcastle and remains involved in the game through commentary and his children, notably son Ryan who plays for South Newcastle.
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