Following their comeback victory against the Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien commented on the club's halves dilemma and provided an update on the condition of injured playmaker Tyson Gamble.
After making several changes to the halves pairing last season, O'Brien decided to shift Fletcher Sharpe from the outside backs to the five-eighth position and partnered him up with 2023 premiership winner Jack Cogger.
The two players had moments of individual brilliance throughout Friday night's match against the Tigers, but Newcastle's head coach failed to promise that they would remain in the same positions for the remainder of the 2025 NRL season.
If they continue to win, Sharper and Cogger will remain the first-choice halves pairing, but O'Brien admitted that he isn't afraid to shake-up the pairing and will take it on a week-by-week basis.
"I don't know, a lot's been said about it, and obviously I need to get some consistency there," O'Brien said after the match.
"There will come a point in time, if we're not performing. My number-one job is to try and get as many wins for Newcastle, for our club, for our town, for our sponsors.
"It's up to the guys that get the jersey to perform in the jersey same as it's my job if I'm the coach, I'll do my job too but right now, they'll be the halves next week.
While Sharpe's move to the halves was widely publicised during the off-season, Cogger was seen as a back-up option until Tyson Gamble went down with an injury before their season's opening match.
Set to spend up to six weeks on the sidelines, he may have difficulty forcing his way back into the line-up if Cogger can reclaim the success he had at the Penrith Panthers and overseas in the Super League competiton.
"Initially the doctors were thinking anywhere from four to six and it seems to be around the mark," O'Brien added on Gamble's condition.
"We've got a couple of games and a bye so that'll helo but he's been pretty good in the past.
"In the past he's had a couple of different other injuries and he's got over them pretty quickly so he's back home in Newcastle (and) they expect him to be moving about by the end of the week."
