Knights 2025 preview: Who can help Ponga?

It almost beggars belief that the Newcastle Knights are heading into Adam O’Brien’s sixth season in charge still just literally relying on Kalyn Ponga to produce his magic throughout the year.

And yet, here we are — O’Brien is playing with his halves again and Ponga will be called up to shine. There are stars around him of course, with Bradman Best and Dylan Lucas some of the standouts, but with Newcastle changing very little (and even losing Daniel Saifiti) it’s not pretty reading.

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Maybe the most interesting thing is the latest “AOB experiment”: Fletcher Sharpe and Jack Cogger in the six and seven respectively.

And then maybe I should rephrase. Cogger is fine, but Sharpe as five-eighth is an exciting prospect.

In the time we saw him in 2024, he was an electric footballer who was always going to need to find an alternate route into the team considering he wanted to play the same position as Ponga. O’Brien and Sharpe seem to have settled on him as the Knights stand-off, which at the very least should see him get his hands on the footy a bit more. The biggest shame with that spot in the team will be that he may not land in too much open space, but if defenders are drawn into Ponga joining the line it might just work.

That being said, I’d put money on O’Brien being the first coach sacked. The fact he’s just scraped finals in most of his season off Ponga’s back has to run dry eventually; should Newcastle hit the doldrums at any point, or the Sharpe experiement fails, or even (god forbid considering he good he is to watch every week) Ponga goes down, the it will be “AOB” marched into unemployment.

Any season where Newy does well is a good season though, so let’s hope Sharpe, Cogger, and Ponga combine well.

Round 1 side: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Tyson Frizell Bench: 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Brodie Jones 17. Mathew Croker

Coach: Adam O’Brien (six years)

Biggest loss: Daniel Safiti Biggest gain: James Schiller

First five: Tigers (A), Dolphins (H), Titans (A), BYE, Bulldogs (A)

Last year’s finish: 8th

Predicted 2025 finish: 10th

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TopSport odds: Premiers: $56, Top 4: $8.50, Final 8: $3.25, Most Losses: $8