2025 Preview: Newcastle Knights

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Luke Jobson has a look at the 2025 NRL season in store for the red and blue.

Oh, oh, ooohhhh… Can Adam O'Brien take the Knights through the proverbial glass ceiling to a Premiership in 2025? 

It's been a tough last two decades for the Newcastle Knights. We've seen Andrew Johns retire, Wayne Bennett become head coach, Nathan Tinkler buy (and sell) the club and Kalyn Ponga sign multiple contracts to call the Hunter Valley home. The one thing that we haven't seen from Newcastle, is a side that can contend with the big boys. 

Newcastle have always been there or there abouts - on their day, capable of upsetting title contenders but also very capable of losing to the cellar-dwellars of the competition. The once-fortress that is McDonald Jones Stadium no longer has visiting teams worried, something that has to change for the Knights in 2025. 

The signings of Matt Arthur and James Schiller, both of whom have first grade experience show that the Knights are looking towards nullifying their roster depth issues caused by the loss of four first grade players over the off-season. While Schiller does help replace the void caused by Fletcher Myers and Enari Tuala, there's currently no obvious replacement coming in for Daniel Safiti. With Leo Thompson also leaving at the end of 2026, the depth of the forward pack will be under a very strong microscope as we move through this season. 

Why they will win it

Kalyn Ponga comes into the 2025 season fit and healthy, having looked very strong in the All-Stars game last weekend. Jack Cogger, having won a premiership with Penrith prior to his move last season, finally started to look like the controlling half that Newcastle desperately needed on the run into the finals. Jayden Brailey is finally healthy, and Fletcher Sharpe looks like the dynamic ball-running half to compliment the rest of the spine. 

Forever the criticism of Adam O'Brien, Newcastle may finally have found the spine that can play together and work off each other. Complimented by the go-forward of their starting forwards, and the experience of their outside backs, Newcastle's starting squad is one of the better squads in the competition.

Why they won't

Consistency. It's been the bane of the Knights existence for the past 20 years, and it will continue to plague the club until they get back to the glory days of the early 2000's. Be it consistency with their forms, the selection of players or with injuries, the Knights just can't seem to string more than a month together without something going wrong. 

Every club goes through their struggles, but the Knights ended up using over ten halves combinations by the end of the season. Add in the four fullbacks, three hookers and a plethora of outside backs, and you get a rag-tag team that wins against Melbourne in round three, to only lose by 30 ten weeks later (yes, this happened last year). 

2025 fixture list

Key players

Needless to say, Kalyn Ponga will have the weight of the Knights faithful on his back in 2025. Having played 16 games last year, the fullback will look to stay fit in 2025 and be at his explosive best across the year - his combination with Fletcher Sharpe no doubt a big story at the start of the season. Leo Thompson will need to step up and be the dominate forward in this Knights pack, with Daniel Safiti leaving for the Dolphins. There were glimpses of what he could do last season, with brute force runs and an offload that can cause problems for plenty of side. Defensively, if he can limit those missed tackles (53 in 2024), he will have a much larger impact this season. 

Rookie to watch

Sebastian Su'a looked the goods in Newcastle's 44-18 trial game loss against Parramatta, running for 77 metres and making 35 tackles in what was an eye-opening performance. There's been wraps on this kid in the Newcastle system for a while now, having made his debut as 18th man last season. While the likes of Mat Croker and Thomas Cant are above him in the pecking order, there is a very strong chance that we will see much more of the young prop early this season. 

Player movement

IN: Tyrone Thompson, Taj Annan (Super Rugby), James Schiller (Canberra)

TOP 30: Adam Elliott, Bradman Best, Brodie Jones, Cody Hopwood, Dane Gagai, Dylan Lucas, Fletcher Sharpe, Francis Manulelieua, Greg Marzhew, Jack Cogger, Jack Hetherington, Jackson Hastings, Jacob Saifiti, James Schiller, Jayden Brailey, Jermaine McEwen, Kai Pearce-Paul, Kalyn Ponga, Leo Thompson, Mat Croker, Paul Bryan, Phoenix Crossland, Riley Jones, Sebastian Su'a, Taj Annan, Thomas Cant, Tyson Frizell, Tyson Gamble, Will Pryce

OUT: Daniel Saifiti (Dolphins), Myles Martin (Canberra), David Armstrong (Leigh), Enari Tuala (Canterbury), Krystian Mapapalangi (unsigned)

DEVELOPMENT: Connor Votano, Tyrone Thompson

Round One Predicted Line Up 

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Greg Marzhew
3. Dane Gagai
4. Bradman Best
5. James Schiller
6. Fletcher Sharpe
7. Jack Cogger
8. Leo Thompson
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Jacob Safiti
11. Kai Pierce-Paul
12. Dylan Lucas
13. Adam Elliott

14. Phoenix Crossland
15. Tyson Frizell
16. Mat Croker
17. Jack Hetherington

18. Tyson Gamble