As the 2023 season ends for a number of clubs, we look back on the highs and lows for every club, their best player, the changes they need to make for next season and an early prediction for where they will finish in 2024.
In this edition, we look at the Newcastle Knights who managed to put a slow start behind them and caught fire late in the season to qualify for finals.
Newcastle Knights - 14 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw, +175
Ladder: 5th
It was a season of two halves for the Newcastle Knights.
Despite some early wins, the Knights found themselves at the crossroads with a 5-9-1 record and sitting in 14th place in Round 17. Coach Adam O’Brien’s future in the job was genuinely on the line when they came up against the Bulldogs in Round 18. Remarkably the Knights went on an incredible winning streak which catapulted them into the finals. They defeated Canberra in an all-time classic in an Elimination Final to secure their first finals win in a decade. However, a slow start in the Semi Final saw them knocked out by the Warriors.
Highlight
10 wins in a row.
The Knights were the biggest thing in the NRL in the back-end of the season when they went on their winning streak.
It began with an unexpected 66-0 thrashing of the Bulldogs and rapidly snowballed into wins against the Melbourne Storm, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Cronulla Sharks.
They scored over 25 points in all of those wins, and most importantly, the team recaptured the hysteria from Newcastle fans that hadn’t been seen since the Johns Brothers were still running around.
Lowlight
Round 17 loss to Penrith.
The Knights travelled to Penrith in Round 17 to take on a Panthers side who were missing all of their State of Origin stars. Newcastle had troubled a full-strength Penrith earlier in the year so hopes were high they could turn their season around.
However, Newcastle put in an uninspired performance which led to Melbourne captain Christian Welch being accidentally caught on mic wondering how the Knights weren’t able to win.
The loss was in some way a positive as the Knights wouldn’t lose another game until their semi-final against the Warriors and in the process, save Adam O’Brien’s job.
Honourable Mention: 43-12 loss to Parramatta in Round 9.
Best Player
Kalyn Ponga.
There were several candidates but it’s hard to go past Kalyn Ponga who finally delivered his best and most consistent season to date in the NRL. There were fears over his playing future after a head knock in Round 2 and after a brief stint at five-eighth and withdrawal from State of Origin, Ponga returned to fullback and excelled.
He was at the forefront of their attack and for the first time, he lifted the players around him which was a significant factor in Newcastle’s incredible run. If it weren’t for injury at the start of the year, Ponga would be the unbackable favourite to take home the Dally M Medal.
Honourable Mentions: Bradman Best, Tyson Gamble, Dominic Young, Tyson Frizell, Phoenix Crossland.
What they need for 2024
A strong start.
The Knights’ late surge into the finals has overshadowed their poor start to the year. The Knights dropped winnable games against the Warriors, Dolphins and Cowboys in the opening eight rounds. Disappointingly, Newcastle let golden chances slip against the Panthers, Broncos and Roosters in three straight weeks. If the Knights were to have found at least two wins in those games, they would’ve finished inside the top four and given themselves the best possible chance to make a preliminary final and possibly even a Grand Final. They have shown over the last two months that they are clearly good enough.
Early 2024 Prediction
6th.
The Knights have had a talented roster for some time but it seems they have finally matured and realise what it takes to be one of the best teams in the competition. The additions of Greg Marzhew on the wing and Jackson Hastings and Tyson Gamble in the halves have been excellent. If Ponga can have an uninterrupted season, there’s no telling where this team could end up.
Grade:
A-