Newcastle Knights 2025 season review
- Overview
- Highs
- Lows
- 2025 RLB Player of the Year – Fletcher Sharpe
- Reasons to be positive in 2026
- My 2025 prediction – 10th
- Final 2025 position – 17th (-7)
Overview
2025 was one to forget for the hapless Knights, who picked up the wooden spoon for the first time since 2017.
Six wins in 24 games was bad enough, and with an attack as blunt as theirs, it was no surprise they finished rock bottom.
Just 338 points – an average of 14 per game – meant they were never likely to win too many matches, and the lack of a stable halves partnership contribued massively.
Star fullback Kalyn Ponga only managed 13 appearances and one try too, which didn’t help their cause, but all in all it was a real shocker of a season from Newcastle with very few positives.
Highs
The Knights actually started the year with two straight victories, and their 4-30 win over the Rabbitohs in Magic Round looked as though it could signal an upturn in fortunes.
From a playing side, Fletcher Sharpe was one of the few players to emerge with some credit, while Dom Young’s return from the Roosters gave the team a lift, and he’ll be expected to carry the burden when it comes to tryscoring next year.
Lows
There are almost too many to mention. The wooden spoon goes without saying, but the Knights also finished more than 100 points worse off than the 16th-placed Titans when it came to points difference.
Their woeful attack conjured up 11 scoreless halves over the course of the year and their defence conceded 44, 48, 38, 46, 40 and 66 points in the last six games of the year, which made up a run of nine straight defeats to see out the season.
2025 RLB Player of the Year – Fletcher Sharpe
With 11 tries in 14 games, Sharpe was one of the few Newcastle players to trouble the tryline. His move into the halves gave the team some more oomph in attack, but with Dylan Brown on the way in 2026 it’ll be interesting to see where Sharpe fits in.
Reasons to be positive in 2026
As mentioned, Dylan Brown is on his way from the Eels, and whatever you think of his $13m contract, it’s a sign of intent from the Knights as they look to build a better roster going forward.
There’s a new coach for the new year as well in the shape of Justin Holbrook, while youngsters Fletcher Hunt, Kyle McCarthy, Jermaine McEwen, and Connor Votano all showed signs of promise in 2025.
My 2025 prediction – 10th
Final 2025 position – 17th (-7)
It turns out I gave the Knights far too much credit heading into 2025. In my defence, I did say a lack of a recognised halves pairing could be an issue, but I never expected their attack to be as bad as it was.
