5. Prediction
8th
There is a lot to like in this Newcastle outfit. Ponga and Pearce are amongst the elite playmakers in the competition. Klemmer and Saifiti form arguably the best starting prop combination in the game.
Tuala and Best will give plenty of opposition centre pairings nightmares. Frizell's arrival also rounds outs a more than handy forward pack. Lachlan Fitzgibbon is still one of the most underrated players running around.
Young Jayden Brailey returns after a near season-long injury.
Unfortunately though, the lack of a standout option at six, a huge question in Watson at 13, and a bench that looks as though it lacks the impact of many sides around them, pose too many questions.
On their day the Knights look as though they can go large and blow many sides off the park. Equally though there will be days where they'll be beaten soundly.
If Watson fires at 13 and Mann improves again on last season and Brailey returns to his best and Ponga returns on fire and ... as you can see, there are far too many questions here.
That said, they're better than eight other sides and will finish in the finals before another first round exit.
