Knights find their fullback: Rugby flyer Miller to fill Ponga gap

The Newcastle Knights have secured their next fullback, with the Cronulla Sharks releasing ex-Rugby Sevens star Lachie Miller ahead of the 2023 NRL season to allow him to lock in a starting role in the Hunter.

Miller, 28, will replace Kalyn Ponga in the number one jumper.

The signing frees up Newcastle superstar Ponga to move into the halves. That switch to five-eighth has been boiling in the Knights backroom since before Adam O’Brien even joined. Originally, now-ousted coach Nathan Brown wanted the Queenslander to make the swap, but things didn’t work out on that front—until now.

Ponga will now play in the six alongside Jackson Hastings as halfback. Hooker Jayden Brailey is back from injury too, giving Newcastle access to their first-choice spine combo heading into round one against the New Zealand Warriors.

Miller, who has played rugby since 2017, farewelled his Sharks teammates yesterday.

As part of the deal, the Knights have sent rising New South Wales under-19s star Max Bradbury the other way. The young prop has been training with Newcastle’s top squad since late last year.

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The Sporting Base has heard Cronulla pushed hard against releasing Miller, but conceded they wouldn’t be able to give him the starting time he wants in the NRL. The Sharks, who finished second in the 2022 NRL season, will start with Will Kennedy at fullback again and already have Kade Dykes waiting behind him too.

Newcastle, meanwhile, were eager to scoop him up to round out their spine four. Miller will be a new face in the Hunter alongside Hastings, who moved from the Wests Tigers earlier this offseason. Brailey joined ahead of the 2020 season and has played 33 games for the Knights since his Sharks exit in late 2019. The fourth and most vital member of the spine, Ponga, managed just 14 appearances last year under several injury clouds.

He has struggled to hit even 20 games since moving to the Knights in 2018. He clocked up 40 between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, before playing just 19, 15, and 14 in the following runs.

With Ponga injured last season, the Knights finished a horrid 14th.

Miller will face his Sharks ex-teammates in Knights colours in a preseason trial on Feb. 10.

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