Newcastle Knights legend Matthew Johns believes new halves pairing Trent Hodkinson and Jarrod Mullen need to play big minutes and plenty of matches if the Knights are any chance of moving up the table in 2016 after finishing last season with the wooden spoon.

“Mullen and Hodkinson have to play 20 games plus together,” Johns told foxsports.com.au.

“Hodkinson isn’t a player big on flair but he’s big on responsibility and Mullen’s a bloke big on flair and skill but shirks responsibility — that’s a great combination.

“They won’t step on each other’s toes.”

Johns also has a soft spot for Mullen who will wear the number six jersey Johns made famous in the mid 1990’s.

“He’s had a bit of bad luck as well, I remember two years ago at the Nines – his first two touches of the ball he scored a try, he was amazing.

“I nudged my young bloke and I said ‘there’s your Dally M winner for this year’ — his third touch he tore his hamstring off the bone. So there’s been a degree of bad luck as well.

“Hopefully this year he can keep on the paddock and can really start to blossom into the player we know he can be.”