Townsend's top pick for starting halfback at Newcastle

SEN’s Chad Townsend has implored the Newcastle Knights to start new recruit Sandon Smith at halfback for the 2026 season.

Townsend played one season alongside Smith at the Sydney Roosters in 2025 and firmly believes the 23-year-old has the capacity to become one of the NRL’s best playmakers.

Smith had the ability to play a number of roles including hooker. However, Townsend thinks the Knights would be doing themselves a disservice by not starting Smith at halfback.

“He’s the obvious choice,” Townsend declared on SEN 1170.

“He deserves to get his shot starting at seven.

“The conundrum is around where someone like Fletcher Sharpe plays. We know that Kalyn Ponga will start at fullback and then Dylan Brown will wear the six jersey.

“It’s either Fletcher Sharper or Sandon Smith at seven and do I think Sharpe is a seven? No I don't.

“I like Sandon Smith in the number seven jersey (but) it’s a big year for Sandon because he’s got a huge opportunity.

“This is a number seven jersey that has been made famous by the great Andrew Johns. There’s a great responsibility there.”

Despite claiming the wooden spoon in 2025, there is plenty of optimism around Newcastle due to their vast array of attacking weapons.

Former coach Adam O’Brien struggled to lock down a halves pairing in his final season which ultimately led to O’Brien stepping down at the end of the year.

Townsend wants new coach Justin Holbrook to pick a halves pairing and persist with them throughout the year to avoid a disrupted spine.

“You don’t want to be a chiropractor.You don’t want to rearrange the spine all the time,” Townsend added.

“It’s one thing you cannot do in the NRL. It creates no continuity, no combination and it’s already hard enough as it is (in the halves).

“You need to be comfortable. Some of the best combinations in the history of the game like Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.

“How many times did they play together? It takes time. If you rearrange all the time, it just doesn’t work.

“That’s a big challenge for Justin Holbrook.”

The Knights’ first trial match will be against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Jubilee Oval on February 7.

Newcastle will kick off the 2026 season at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas when they play the North Queensland Cowboys on March 1.