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Sport Nation
2025 Mid-season review: Newcastle Knights
Sam Kosack • June 4th, 2025 7:00 pm
Despite making finals in four of his five seasons in charge, Adam O'Brien started 2025 under pressure to keep his job, and the Knights' underwhelming form up to the halfway point of the season has done nothing to help.
Newcastle's defence has been underrated this season, with the third best in the league, but an inability to score points, despite the emergence of Fletcher Sharpe in the halves, has them down to the bottom of the ladder going into Round 14. Newcastle desperately needs Kalyn Ponga to replicate the back of half of his 2023 Dally M campaign.
Ladder: 15th (4W, 8L, 1 Bye)
Positive: The development of long-term core
While there’s not been a lot to celebrate for Knights’ fans, the development of a young core they can build around gives them reasons for hope. The emergence of Fletcher Sharpe as a genuine halves option providing Newcastle with creativity in attack has been much needed after 2024’s halves merry-go-round, while Dylan Lucas has announced himself as a quality second rower that can push into that top echelon of edges. Add in Kalyn Ponga and Bradman Best as Origin-made outside backs, and the addition of Dylan Brown in 2026, and there’s plenty to look forward to in the Hunter.
__Negative: Struggle to score points__
Somehow, with attacking weapons like Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharpe, and Bradman Best, and quality forwards in Leo Thompson, Jacob Saifiti, Dylan Lucas, and Kai Pearce-Paul, the Knights’ have struggled to put any points on the board.
Newcastle are the only club to not have scored 200 points so far this season, averaging a paltry 13.25 points a game. Adam O’Brien’s men have the third best defensive record this season, but without a turnaround in points scored, their fortunes won’t change.
Best Player: Fletcher Sharpe
The rise of Fletcher Sharpe has been the clear highlight for the Knights. Whether at fullback or five-eighth, Sharpe has proven a handful with ball in hand, building a strong combination with Dylan Lucas.
Sharpe’s got eight tries in 12 games, but what makes that more remarkable is the Knights themselves have only scored 28 tries all season. Sharpe’s try total accounts for almost 30 percent of Newcastle’s total tries.
His 272 metre and 15 tackle break performance against the Panthers in Round 12 in Bathurst was a standout, and if the side can lift to his level, they’ll score plenty more points in the back half of the season.
__Biggest Moment: Dylan Brown signing__
The signing of Dylan Brown on the biggest deal in NRL history was a major moment in the season. $13 million over 10 years for a player is a lot of eggs in one basket, and while his early season form for Parramatta may have left cause for concern, the Knights’ lack of attack so far in 2025 means it is a necessary risk. It truly could be the contract that makes or breaks the Newcastle Knights.
Grade: F_
