BY CURTIS WOODWARD

Newcastle Knights
Coach: Nathan Brown
Pre-season: Auckland Nines February 4th and 5th, v Raiders February 18th

 
What they’ll get right: Coach Nathan Brown is doing a fine job with what he has in front of him but it’s hard to see Newcastle clawing their way off the bottom of the table. They’ve picked up a couple of veterans in Rory Kostjaysn and Jamie Buhrer who will help develop Brown’s babies but how much will they improve the Knights on-field? They will be tougher and fight for longer periods but the fact their roster simply doesn’t have the talent or depth is their biggest concern. Keep the faith Knights fans, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Coach Nathan Brown discussed the return to pre-season training today #goKnights pic.twitter.com/HpXBnagm2w

— Newcastle Knights (@NRLKnights) January 4, 2017

What they’ll get wrong: We are not breaking down a team here like the Broncos who need to manage the State of Origin period better or a Cronulla who are fighting history by attempting to go back-to-back. We’re talking about a squad that is a distant 16th in the talent pool stakes and that is with all due respect to the players at Newcastle. They’re doing their best but as a team, they simply don’t have the manpower to threaten even the mid-table clubs.

It’s a big year for: It seems an eternity ago since Trent Hodkinson slid through that Queensland defensive line to win New South Wales a State of Origin series. Hodkinson is a solid halfback with a good kicking game but he needs to find more for the Knights. There are some good kids coming through in the halves and Kalyn Pongia is on his way in 2018, pressure will mount on Hodkinson. We all know how fast things move in rugby league.

We're back! The 2017 pre-season kicked off this morning with a field session at Wests Mayfield #goKnights pic.twitter.com/3InV1LexvK

— Newcastle Knights (@NRLKnights) January 4, 2017

Most improved: Mitch Barnett
MVP: Korbin Sims
Most consistent: Nathan Ross

Prediction – 16th
They will not be as bad as they were in 2016 but they just don’t have the firepower to climb the table.

Possible team:
1 Dylan Phythian
2 Ken Sio
3 Dane Gagai
4 Joe Wardle
5 Nathan Ross

 
6 Jarrod Mullen
7 Trent Hodkinson
8 Korbin Sims
9 Rory Kostjaysn
10 Josh King
11 Jamie Buhrer
12 Sione Mata’utia
13 Mitch Barnett

14 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
15 Pauli Pauli
16 Daniel Saifiti
17 Jacob Saifiti

@woodward_curtis