NRL 2025: Knights players restless as exit rumours swirl in Newcastle
Adam O’Brien has led Newcastle to consecutive finals appearances but the Knights know they must reshape their roster to take the next step. But can he do it without losing control of the season before it begins?
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In the space of 12 months, Jackson Hastings has gone from first choice half for Newcastle to training almost exclusively with the reserve grade team in a new position.
The highly-paid halfback’s fall from grace has emerged amid the promise of further roster change at the Knights with ex-club captain Jayden Brailey stepping up his search for a new club - at the same time he has been relegated from Newcastle’s leadership group.
Hastings and Brailey have become the faces of a fresh $4 million roster inquest in the Hunter that is poised to challenge head coach Adam O’Brien’s remarkable finals run at the helm of the club.
Respected throughout the NRL for his upstanding character and relentless attitude, Brailey has attracted interest from several clubs across the game.
In a further development, this masthead can also reveal that promising young Knights forward Sebastian Sua has signed with The Dolphins for 2026, the same club that recently knocked back the chance to sign Jack Cogger.
The loss of Sua comes as the Knights also deal with the departure of Daniel Saifiti to The Dolphins and Leo Thompson to the Bulldogs in 2026.
Newcastle are attempting to lure Cronulla prop Tom Hazelton to balance the loss of firepower in their pack and have made it clear they are ready to vie for Dylan Brown should he be genuine about leaving Parramatta.
Cogger, meanwhile, was named to start the pre-season at halfback as the Knights conduct a sweeping review of their playing squad.
Hastings and Brailey look destined to leave if not now, then at the end of the year.
A host of other names are off contract and the club is deliberating their futures - among the highest profile are Adam Elliott, Jack Hetherington, Kai Pearce-Paul and Will Pryce.
Elliott and Hetherington are on the look out for a new club while the Knights haven’t put a line through Pearce-Paul and Pryce, preferring to wait and see how they start the season before sitting down to discuss their futures.
Every club has players off contract, but the issue for coach O’Brien is that the likes of Hastings, Brailey, Elliott and Hetherington are big figures at the club with big personalities.
O’Brien has led the club to consecutive finals appearances - and four top eight finishes in his five seasons at the helm - but the Knights know they need to reshape their roster to take the next step.
The issue for the Knights and O’Brien will be whether they can do it without losing control of the season before it begins.
HASTINGS
Jackson Hastings played 16 games for the Knights last season, but he was persona non grata after a round 20 loss to Brisbane.
Newcastle officials made it clear midway through last year that Hastings wasn’t necessarily part of their plans, granting him permission to explore his options elsewhere.
That would have enabled them to ease some of the pressure on their salary cap given his contract is worth in excess of $800,000 this season.
Hastings, however, remains.
He has effectively been frozen out, something that has been reinforced during the pre-season when he has trained largely with the second side at lock.
The Knights are heading in a different direction, shifting Fletcher Sharpe to the halves and starting Jack Cogger at halfback.
Intriguingly, Cogger isn’t necessarily part of the club’s future plans either. His name appeared on the radar of the Dolphins during the off-season but they opted not to follow up.
Cogger stayed and has the inside running to start the premiership in the No.7 jersey. Sharpe’s move to the halves is a throw at the stumps as they look to ease the pressure on superstar Kalyn Ponga and find another point of attack.
You don’t win without quality halves in the NRL and while the brilliance of Ponga has compensated for some of the Knights’ deficiencies, he can no longer do it on his own.
Finding a stable pairing could dictate Newcastle’s season.
BRAILEY
Off-contract at the end of this season, Brailey’s future at the Knights has been in limbo ever since he was told halfway through last year by management that he could look at his options elsewhere beyond his current deal.
As a result, reports followed that Brailey - the 2024 co-captain with Ponga - could possibly be handed an early release by the Knights for 2025, if he were able to find a club.
However, a late-2024 season run of quality footy by the 130-gamer torpedoed that possibility. There’s every likelihood that after being relegated from the leadership group - following a recent player vote - Brailey will start the season behind Phoenix Crossland as the club’s first-choice hooker.
Universally regarded for his relentless work-ethic, Brailey won’t struggle finding a new club, evident by at least three NRL rivals already meeting or preparing to meet the 28-year-old
It is understood North Queensland are among the club’s keeping an eye on Brailey’s situation as they look to replace the departing Reece Robson.
The Cowboys are also monitoring Reed Mahoney’s future at the Bulldogs - he is off contract at the end of 2026 and can therefore speak to rivals from November 1 - amid rumours about his status at the club.
Bulldogs head of football Phil Gould insists Mahoney is not for sale but it is understood there is every chance he could leave at the end of the season should he find a long-term deal at another club.
CHASING BROWN
The Knights have made no secret of their plans to strengthen their halves.
They started last season with Tyson Gamble and Hastings in the halves and finished it with a combination of Crossland and Cogger as they were bundled out of the finals by North Queensland.
Sharpe’s move to five-eighth is the latest Hail Mary but the big gamble is their bid to sign Brown.
The Parramatta five-eighth wants huge money but the Knights have plenty to spend as they earmark Brown to take some pressure off Ponga.
Having the likes of Hastings, Brailey, Elliott and Hetherington off contract at the end of the year gives Newcastle plenty of space to attack the player market with genuine gusto.
They also need to find a way to replace Thompson, prompting them to chase Hazelton.
“With Leo, I stayed out of it,” Ponga said.
“I didn’t think he was going, to be fair. I was hoping he would stay. He is going to be a huge part of their club, he is a huge part of our club.
“I really admire the way he plays but he has done what is best for him.
“I can’t really knock someone for doing that. That is kind of what I have done in my career - what is best for me and my family.
“So it is what it is.”
As for Brown, Ponga insists he has kept his distance.
He has previously involved himself in the club’s pursuit of players, most notably when he had dinner with Melbourne half Jonah Pezet.
Ponga desperately wants to win a premiership but at times it feels like he is fighting a one-man battle. He needs help. Brown would provide it.
“He is wanted by many clubs,” Ponga said.
“I haven’t spoken to Dylan - I have thought about it. I think he would be a great asset to any club.”
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