The Newcastle Knights once again snuck their way into the finals at the end of the 2024 NRL season with a fast finish.
This year it took a win on the final day of the season and a heavy reliance on the attacking ability to Kalyn Ponga to see them over the line.
A roster clean out is now underway in the Hunter though as director Peter Parr and coach Anthony O'Brien start working to clean out a bloated salary cap which has left little room to wiggle.
Daniel Saifiti has already left for the Dolphins though, and others, led by out of sorts half Jackson Hastings, have been told they are free to go. That, and a reliance on youth, will see the Knights likely have plenty of weight to throw around in the 2026 recruitment market.
We will run the rule over all 17 clubs on Zero Tackle as the 2026 recruitment period gets underway to determine who their top targets are. Today, the Knights…
Current 2026 Newcastle Knights squad
Bradman Best, Thomas Cant, Jack Cogger, Phoenix Crossland, Dane Gagai, Tyson Gamble, Cody Hopwood, Dylan Lucas, Francis Manuleleua, Greg Marzhew, Jermaine McEwen, Kalyn Ponga, Jacob Saifiti, James Schiller, Fletcher Sharpe, Taj Annan
Off-contract at end of 2025
Jayden Brailey, Mat Croker, Adam Elliott, Jackson Hastings, Jack Hetherington, Brodie Jones, Riley Jones, Kai Pearce-Paul, Will Pryce, Sebastian Su'a, Leo Thompson
Current best 17 for 2026
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Greg Marzhew
3. Bradman Best
4. Dane Gagai
5. Fletcher Sharpe
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Jack Cogger
8. Jacob Saifiti
9. Phoenix Crossland
10. Cody Hopwood
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Thomas Cant
13. Francis Manuleleua
Interchange
14. No player signed
15. No player signed
16. Jermaine McEwen
17. No player signed
The Knights have well publicised salary cap issues at the present time, but this recruitment period leading into the 2026 NRL season might be the first time they are able to get on top of that.
Young players Cody Hopwood, Francis Manuleleula and Jermaine McEwen all join the Top 30, but more importantly, big-money players Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott and most importantly Jackson Hastings - believed to be on $800,000 per year despite finishing 2024 in reserve grade - are all off contract.
That, as well as the early move of Daniel Saifiti to the Dolphins for the 2025 campaign, gives the Knights the chance to finally get their own house in order, even with Kalyn Ponga's million-plus dollar salary at the top of their ongoing list.
And it's a good thing the Knights have money available.
Right now, they have no dummy half (although it has been speculated that Matt Arthur will be joining the club), a forward pack that features two of those aforementioned rookies, and a halves combination that inspires very little confidence. With none of their ‘big names' likely to be re-signed, this is going to be a recruitment period of mass transformation in the Hunter… If they have the pulling power to sign the right players.
4. Option 4: Cameron McInnes (Cronulla Sharks)
As it stands, the Knights do not have a lock forward on the books for the 2026 NRL season.
With most talk suggesting they won't re-sign Adam Elliott, it means they will need to go to market to sign one as well.
They couldn't do any better than Cameron McInnes, out of the options currently off-contract at the end of 2025.
The experienced - now New South Wales Blues representative - forward is one of the hardest workers in the game, and would bring an attitude to the Hunter that the club desperately need as they look to go from a fringe top eight side to a premiership candidate.
It's clear to see what he has done for the Sharks, and it would be a similar story in the Hunter.
