The Newcastle Knights have confirmed the signing of Asu Kepaoa and Matthew Hunter.
Kepaoa, who made his debut for the Wests Tigers and has since proven his versatility across 43 NRL games, has signed a two-year deal with the club through to the end of 2027.
“AJ has always been a player with great promise and ability," Knights recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan said in a club statement confirming the news.
“He gives us exceptional utility value with the ability to play wing, centre and backrow at NRL level.
“AJ is a big body with a strong play two carry that will help get your sets rolling, combined with a proven track record of try scoring, we believe he has a lot of upsides.
“We are excited to see what AJ can do here at the Knights."
Kepaoa will likely fight for a place off the bench for the Knights, but could yet feature in the starting side across a number of roles.
Hunter, on the other hand, will join the Knights on a development spot next year before moving into a Top 30 role for 2027 and 2028.
A halfback or five-eighth, the Knights have also indicated he will have the ability to develop into a fullback.
“Matt is a talented half or five-eighth, who I believe could also play fullback," O'Sullivan said.
“He has jumped out of the ground in NSW Cup this year, playing in red hot form, scoring tries and creating try assists on a frequent basis.
“With a great feel and instinct for the game, and given time to develop his body, we strongly believe he will be an NRL player of the future.
“Matt is a great young man, from a very supportive family and we look forward to watching him prosper here at the Newcastle Knights.”
