Newcastle Knights 2026 season preview
2025 recap
2025 was as bad as it could possibly get for the Knights, who picked up the wooden spoon for the first time since 2017.
They won just six games, had the worst attack in the NRL by some margin, and coach Adam O’Brien was ushered out the exit door at the end of the campaign.
2025 position: 17th
Key signings
Dylan Brown (Parramatta Eels), Peter Hola (The Dolphins), Harrison Graham (The Dolphins), Pasami Saulo (Canberra Raiders), Trey Mooney (Canberra Raiders), Lachlan Crouch (Newtown Jets), Asu Kepaoa (Penrith Panthers), Sandon Smith (Sydney Roosters)
Key departures
Leo Thompson (Canterbury Bankstown-Bulldogs), Jayden Brailey (Canberra Raiders), Kai Pearce Paul (Wests Tigers), Jack Cogger (Penrith Panthers), Jake Arthur (Hull FC), Jackson Hastings (St Helens), Jack Hetherington (Melbourne Storm), Adam Elliott (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Mason Teague (released)
Players to watch
All eyes will be on Dylan Brown this year – the Knights’ $13m man. At a rumoured $1.3m per year, he’s up there with the highest paid players in the NRL, and the Newcastle fans will expect results from the Kiwi five-eighth.
One of Newcastle’s biggest problems in recent years has been the lack of a stable halves pairing, and that’s where it’ll be interesting to see how Sandon Smith fits in. The 23-year-old has arrived from the Roosters, where he played just shy of 50 first grade games. Is he the new halfback to partner Brown, or is he swapping one utility role at Bondi for another on the Central Coast?
Young gun
Fullback Connor Votano made his NRL debut in Round 24 last year, and he’ll be hoping for more opportunities as a backup fullback. With Kalyn Ponga only managing 13 games last season and Fletcher Sharpe being moved into the halves, there’s a chance Votano could add a few more games to his CV in 2026.
Our prediction – 16th
The Knights should be better this year with Dylan Brown in the side, but I can’t see them making drastic improvements. If Kalyn Ponga can stay fit, they’ll be a much better side, but there are always question marks with his injury record and even with him in the team they’ve struggled.
