Following back-to-back finals' appearances, much was expected in the Hunter for 2022. Unfortunately, this would not come to pass as they were reduced to fodder en route to a 14th-placed finish.
Historically a difficult side to beat at home, the Knights recorded just two wins in front of their own fans last season. Those two wins came against the lowly Titans and last-placed Tigers.
It's near impossible to believe that Newcastle started the season with a near flawless 20-6 victory over the Roosters followed by the aforementioned win over the Tigers.
Newly appointed club co-captain Kalyn Ponga managed just nine NRL appearances. Truthfully, he spent more time in the headlines for off-field incidents than he did for his on-field performances.
Adam O'Brien has rung the changes in an attempt to right the ship, and in the process save his own job. Another season like 2022 simply can't, and likely won't be tolerated.
Recruitment report
Ins: Adam Elliott (Canberra Raiders, 2025), Tyson Gamble (Brisbane Broncos, 2024), Jackson Hastings (Wests Tigers, 2025), Jack Hetherington (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2025), Greg Marzhew (Gold Coast Titans, 2025), Lachlan Miller (Cronulla Sharks, 2025), Toni Tupouniua (2024)
Outs: Mitch Barnett (New Zealand Warriors), Jake Clifford (Hull FC), Tex Hoy (Hull FC), David Klemmer (Wests Tigers), Edrick Lee (The Dolphins), Anthony Milford (The Dolphins), Jirah Momoisea (Parramatta Eels), Chris Randall (Gold Coast Titans), Pasami Saulo (Canberra Raiders), Sauaso Sue (Hull Kingston Rovers)
Recruitment Impact
The Knights have sacrificed one of the game's best young forward prospects to finally land a first-choice fullback. That being a 28 year-old former Rugby Sevens star with seven NRL games to his name.
Lachlan Miller was marvelous in NSW Cup for Newtown and put his name in lights on debut for the Sharks but the pressure being heaped on a player yet to record ten NRL games seems over the top.
After failing to replace Mitchell Pearce in 2022, Newcastle finally have their number seven in Jackson Hastings. Again though, it came at a cost as David Klemmer was released to go the other way.
Jack Hetherington and Adam Elliott are astute inclusions and should become focal points of club's go forward. Tyson Gamble and Greg Marzhew will compete for spots.
Although the inclusions undoubtedly improve the positions they were recruited to fill, the fact that the club's best forward and a potential future star had to be given up really level out any excitement.
The big talking points
Kalyn Ponga back to the halves
It's fair to say the head geared wizard produced an underwhelming 2022 season. The Knights, in an effort to spark their superstar, look set to return him to the halves.
I say return due to a failed experiment earlier in his career that saw Ponga don the number six for about a month before returning to his preferred role.
With far more experience to his name, the move should provide far more successful this time around. It needs to for both Ponga and the Knights.
Can Bradman find his Best?
Excusing the horrible pun, Bradman Best is key when it comes to the Knights fortunes in 2023. On his day he is near unstoppable. Unfortunately I can't remember the last time it was his day.
Best should be bossing opposition centres and leading the metres almost every week for his side yet often fades into the background to the point you forget he's even out there.
The lack of ball supply has absolutely contributed to his less than stellar recent performances but he needs to be barking constantly at his halves to demand the ball and return to his best.
Dominic Young's future
Newcastle's towering winger had a brilliant end to 2022 for the club. He carried on that form for England and was one of the stars of the World Cup tournament.
He's off-contract and is being linked to multiple clubs. Simply put, the Knights need to re-sign him to a long-term deal.
That being said, can Newcastle afford to break the bank to retain a winger when there are so many other problem positions?
Star player: Kalyn Ponga
Try as they might, Newcastle fans and officials can't ignore the fact that their 2023 season depends massively on the performance of their marquee man.
First and foremost, Ponga needs to re-find the focus that helped make him one of the game's most exciting youngsters.
Ponga still has all the talent to be one game's biggest stars. His ball-playing skills should see him rack up plenty of try assists.
Player under pressure: Jackson Hastings
Hastings starts the 2023 season under immense pressure through no fault of his own.
The fact Newcastle gave up one of the game's elite forwards in David Klemmer means Hastings will be expected to hit the ground running.
Hastings probably didn't live up to expectations in 2022 at the Tigers, but again I am loathe to place blame entirely on his shoulders.
Breakout star: Lachlan Miller
If the Knights are going to be finals contenders in 2023 then Lachlan Miller's move simply has to work. Starved of opportunities in the Shire, the move should bear fruit for both club and player alike.
Miller is lightning fast and possesses footwork few other players can match. If he can find space then he will produce multiple entries for any 2023 highlights package.
Given the opportunity, and a full time position, there is no reason Miller can't reach a very high level of performance in 2023 and reward his new club's confidence in him.
2023 Draw impact
The Knights have been handed a fairly favourable draw in 2023. A dream opening month sees them play the Warriors, Tigers and Dolphins before a tough contest against the Raiders.
Overall they play sides from the top eight in 2022 just 11 times across 24 fixtures.
Given a bye in Magic Round means Newcastle will only have to leave NSW five times in 2023, with one of those games being in Canberra. Add to that the fact their away game against the Sharks is in Coffs Harbour and the club really couldn't have asked for more.
If they fail to make finals it certainly won't be due to an overly difficult schedule.
Fixtures To Watch
1. Round 2, vs Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, 4:05pm AEDT, Sunday, March 12
On the surface this looks like an early-season game between two sides expected to somewhat struggle. On paper it provides a mouth watering occasion.
David Klemmer will suit up against his old side after being marched down the Pacific Highway. Meanwhile Jackson Hastings will want to show the Tigers what they let go.
The fact this fixture is presented so early in the season is a real treat. It should also show where both sides are at fairly quickly.
2. Round 3 vs The Dolphins, McDonald Jones Stadium, 6pm AEDT, Friday, March 17
Newcastle's first home game of the 2023 season, and a very winnable game at that.
The Knights have long been known as a team who are tough to beat at home. 2022 made a mockery of that notion and results will have to improve in front of their own fans in '23.
A loss to the fledgling side would be disastrous. Yes it's only one game but Newcastle will want to set the tone early at McDonald Jones Stadium.
3. Round 9 vs Parramatta Eels, CommBank Stadium, 6pm AEDT, Friday, April 28
The talk is that O'Brien and the Knights have ten weeks to show improvement or real questions will be asked. This round nine fixture could help shape the future in Newcastle.
A favourable draw offers up five very winnable games in the opening nine weeks, with week 10 being a bye. Anything less than four wins will all but end their Finals hopes.
As outlandish at it may sound to frame a Round Nine fixture as super important, this result could help shape the near future in red and blue.
Prediction
Dan Nichols
I can't see where the points come from. Ponga's move into the halves is at long odds to work, Lachlan Miller has seven games to his name and the club let their best forward go.
Bradman Best is the key. He has all the talent in the world and should be knocking on the door of Origin selection but just hasn't been able to find any consistency in his performances.
Despite an favourable early draw, I would be shocked if Adam O'Brien is still the coach come 2024.
15th.
Jack Blyth
While the club has made some really handy recruitment decisions, their depth is stretched so thin, however the real key to this team is their home fortress, McDonald Jones Stadium.
Once a feared road trip, the Knights won just two games there in 2022, against the Tigers and Titans, and need to find that home town fortitude to rediscover their best. Kalyn Ponga's move the front-line is a worry with his concussion history.
They have too many players that need to realise their potential sooner or later, before tough decisions start getting made.
15th.
Scott Pryde
The Knights, on paper, for mine, have the weakest roster this season. It's a roster which relies on Kalyn Ponga performing at five-eighth, combining well with Jackson Hastings, and on a number of forwards standing up.
They barely did that with David Klemmer leading the charge though, so don't be surprised if that doesn't improve despite the obvious qualities of the Saifiti brothers.
Their attack has been pitiful two years in a row, and that won't change.
17th.
Zero Tackle calculator: 16th
Zero Tackle's calculated prediction is the average tip of all three tipsters, with the lowest average the minor premiers, and the highest average the wooden spooners.
Hmm it’s hard to agree with the “experts” on this one as a Knights fan i try to be as realistic as possible but some of the reports seem a bit much for me.
example.
Dan Nichols goes on to say “I can’t see where the points come from”, well we have one of the best upcoming wingers in the comp (Young) and guy on the other wing that scored 14 in 25 games (Marzhew), Bradman Best, Dane Gagai, Jayden Brailey, Kayln Ponga, all having proved can score when giving the chance, they more need to focus on breaking down teams and holding the ball if they do that than they can score.
Scott Pryde says the roster relies heavily on KP to preform at 5/8, but that is not true in the slightest, AOB has done great in recruiting back up if needed aka Gamble/Miller, if needed they can put Ponga back at 1, Gamble/Miller at 6 and Hastings at 7, so it does not need him to be great at 5/8 at all.
Not saying its a finals contender because that will determain how the players themself fair but i don’t think its as bad as people seem to think. But hey these people have been claiming the Knights to be last for years now and they have been proven wrong every single time, keep saying it and i guess you will be right once.
Don’t forget the Panthers were in the same boat as the Knights, and they never got any better and why was that? Well people found out it was because behind the scene they were rebuilding their junior pathways of which they are currently enjoying. Parr is working on the pathways now with AOB and with our juniors making the grand final last year i don’t see it being too far away.
Once they fix that i don’t see a reason why the Knights can’t be another Panthers, i mean look at the talent that has come from there.
Joseph Tapine – Raiders
Hudson Young – Raiders
Beau Fermor – Titans
Max King (came from maitland Newcastle’s background) – Bulldogs
Josh King – Storm
Pasami Saulo – Raiders
SAF Brothers – Knights
And that’s just people in the NRL we also have future prospects like
Oryn Keeley
Thomas Cant
Dylan Lucas
Ben Talty
Fletcher Sharpe
David Armstrong
Chris Vea’ila
Talent we let go
Fletcher Baker – Roosters
Max Bradbury – Sharks
Jonah Pezet – Storm
Zac Hosking – Panthers
Tom Starling – Raiders
As soon as they repair the damage left by Wayne because he always bought older players and never promoted young kids so they left, but once they fix that, the Knights should be able to churn out talent like the Panthers it will just take a few years to fix.