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Sport Nation
Why a dearth of local playmakers and lingering premiership drought led Newcastle to historic Brown deal
Charles Goodsir • March 12th, 2025 12:31 pm
A lack of quality halves emerging in Newcastle’s pathways is what led the Knights to offer the richest deal in NRL history according to The Newcastle Herald’s Barry Toohey.
The Knights set the rugby league world ablaze after Parramatta Eels playmaker Dylan Brown confirmed he would take up a 10-year deal for 2025 with Newcastle worth an estimated $13 million.
The contract comes with plenty of risk but Toohey believes it’s a gamble worth taking as the Hunter region is failing to produce future five-eighths and halfbacks.
“It’s a gamble because 10 years is a long time,” Toohey told SEN 1170.
“To be fair, the club and the fans have been waiting for a young half to develop. They haven’t really been able to develop one.
“The Knights had one in Jonah Pezet a few years back but he left to go to the Melbourne Storm.
“There’s not really anyone else of the young guys in the system and in the juniors that you think will be an NRL halfback in two, three or four years time.
“It’s as simple as that. There’s a crop of young blokes coming through in other positions that will be future first graders.
“What Newcastle will do, given the money (tied to Brown and Kalyn Ponga), they are going to have to rely on their young guys coming through in the future to develop and become NRL players.”
The other significant issue for Newcastle is that a large chunk of their salary cap will be tied to two marquee players - Brown and current skipper Kalyn Ponga.
Ponga is contracted until the end of 2027 on an estimated $1.3 million. The expensive and lengthy acquisition of Brown is a clear indication that Newcastle want to partner their captain with a marquee player in a bid to end a 24-year premiership drought.
“The Knights are sick of struggling to make the eight every year and bombing out,” Toohey added.
“They knew they had to do something and the halfback and playmaker spot is an area where the Knights have struggled for a long time.
“I’m happy for Newcastle to take this risk and back their judgement.
“It’s a massive commitment financially and they have to put a team around (Ponga and Brown) to become a top four team and a premiership team.”
