Matt Johns names the men who can lift the Newcastle Knights

NEWCASTLE legend Matt Johns has backed coach Nathan Brown’s decision to drop Aku Uate to reserve grade, saying the senior players ‘need to lift’.

James Segeyaro, Luke Lewis and Greg Bird top Matt Johns’ wishlist to rebuild the Knights.

NEWCASTLE legend Matt Johns has backed coach Nathan Brown’s decision to drop Fijian flyer Aku Uate to reserve grade, saying the senior players ‘need to lift’.

Brown created plenty of headlines this week when he named Uate in the club’s NSW Intrust Super Premiership side to take on Manly at Brookvale Oval on Saturday.

The former Test and Origin winger is reportedly on $500,000 a season, but has paid the price for substandard performances in recent weeks.

Johns praised Brown for making the difficult decision to drop Uate, insisting it was for the long-term benefit of the club.

“It has been tough up there, but I support any measures that Nathan Brown believes he needs to make to push this group forward,” Johns told The Daily Telegraph.

“Because I’ve just looked at this year and for mine I just want more from our senior players.

“So was I surprised that Browny dropped Aku? No, probably not.

“I think Browny has shown that he is going to make some tough decisions and I support him on it.”

The Knights may be anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder with just one win, but Johns can see a host of positives moving forward.

He pinpointed young back-rower Josh King as a player the club can build a bright future around.

King, an apprentice electrician, only trains once a week with the NRL side yet still manages to deliver wholehearted displays.

Johns says this hardworking attitude personifies the ethos Newcastle was founded upon.

“You can just tell he (King) is an old fashioned footballer and a local boy who just wants to be there,” he said.

“That’s what we need.”

There’s no doubting the Knights possess some of the most promising young players in the game, but Johns believes they need support.

It’s why the former premiership-winning five-eighth has called on the Knights to recruit a senior leader in the mound of ex-forward Ben Kennedy.

Kennedy helped change Newcastle’s culture when he arrived from Canberra in 2000 and Johns says the Knights need to search the market for a similar inspirational leader.

“We used to export culture through players like BK and at the moment we are looking for that type of player,” he said.

“I reckon there are a couple that are going to be on the market soon.

“Someone like Segeyaro. I know we’ve got young Levi there who is one of our better young blokes, but he would be good.

“Then there’s Luke Lewis and Greg Bird.

“There are a few blokes that for mine Newcastle can have a real look at.

“I like what Browny is doing and I think we have got the right coach.

“But what we really need now is a couple of players who can turn the culture around on the field.

“A coach can only do so much and I think these young blokes need a couple of blokes, whether that’s Lewis, Bird or Segeyaro who can get out there and lead the way on the field.”