2018 Newcastle Knights season

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2018 Newcastle Knights season
NRL Rank11th
2018 recordWins: 9; draws: 0; losses: 15
Points scoredFor: 414; against: 607
Team information
CEOPhil Gardner
CoachNathan Brown
Captain
StadiumMcDonald Jones Stadium
Avg. attendance18,974
High attendance24,662 (vs. Dragons, round 25)
Top scorers
TriesKen Sio (12)
GoalsKalyn Ponga (27)
PointsKen Sio (98)
← 2017 2019 →

The 2018 Newcastle Knights season was the 31st in the club's history. Coached by Nathan Brown and co-captained by Jamie Buhrer and Mitchell Pearce, they competed in the NRL's 2018 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 11th place (out of 16).

Milestones[edit]

Squad[edit]

Newcastle Knights
2018 NRL premiership squad Coaching staff

Extended squad players

Head coach

Assistant coaches


Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 2 September 2018
Source(s): Newcastle Knights Profiles,
Rugby League Project


Transfers and Re-signings[edit]

Gains[edit]

Player/Coach Previous Club Length
Herman Ese'ese Brisbane Broncos 2020
JJ Felise Wests Tigers 2018
Slade Griffin Melbourne Storm 2019
Aidan Guerra Sydney Roosters 2020
Christian Hazard Redcliffe Dolphins 2018
Chris Heighington Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2018
Jacob Lillyman New Zealand Warriors 2018
Tautau Moga Brisbane Broncos 2020
Brent Naden Canberra Raiders 2018
Mitchell Pearce Sydney Roosters 2021
Kalyn Ponga North Queensland Cowboys 2021
James Shepherd (assistant coach) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2018
Connor Watson Sydney Roosters 2020

Losses[edit]

Player/Coach Club
David Bhana Released
Brendan Elliot Gold Coast Titans
Jaelen Feeney Townsville Blackhawks
Dane Gagai South Sydney Rabbitohs
Jacob Gagan South Sydney Rabbitohs
Heath Gibbs Wests Tigers
Rory Kostjasyn Retirement
Jake Mamo Huddersfield Giants
Sam Mataora Retirement
Peter Mata'utia Leigh Centurions
Sam McIntyre Wests Tigers
Jarrod Mullen Contract terminated
Mickey Paea Hull F.C.
Pauli Pauli Wakefield Trinity
Will Pearsall Retirement
Tyler Randell Wakefield Trinity
Braden Robson Wests Tigers
Korbin Sims Brisbane Broncos
Bradie Smith Wyong Roos
Josh Starling Retirement
Jack Stockwell Gold Coast Titans
Anthony Tupou Retirement
Joe Wardle Castleford Tigers
Kurt Wrigley (assistant coach) Released

[edit]

Player Junior side
Matt Cooper Knights National Youth Competition
Zac Hosking Knights National Youth Competition
Jack Johns Knights National Youth Competition
Brayden Musgrove Knights National Youth Competition

Change of role[edit]

Player/Coach New role
Rory Kostjasyn (Harold Matthews Cup coach) Knights Intrust Super Premiership NSW coach
Joe Morris Knights second-tier squad

Re-signings[edit]

Player/Coach Re-signed to
Tyrone Amey 2018
Nathan Brown (head coach) ongoing contract
Jamie Buhrer 2019
Matt Cooper 2018
Zac Hosking 2018
Jack Johns 2018
Josh King 2020
Sione Mata'utia 2021
Brayden Musgrove 2019
Pasami Saulo 2020
Sam Stone 2020

Player contract situations[edit]

2018 (left) 2019 2020 2021
Tyrone Amey[1] Jamie Buhrer[2] Mitchell Barnett[3] Sione Mata'utia[4]
Jack Cogger[5] Lachlan Fitzgibbon[6] Herman Ese'ese[7] Mitchell Pearce[8]
Matt Cooper[9] Slade Griffin[10] Aidan Guerra[11] Kalyn Ponga[12]
Thomas Cronan[13] Brodie Jones[14] Josh King[15]
Cory Denniss[16] Shaun Kenny-Dowall[17] Danny Levi[18]
JJ Felise[19] Brayden Musgrove[20] Tautau Moga[21]
Christian Hazard[22] Nathan Ross[23]
Chris Heighington[24] Daniel Saifiti[25]
Trent Hodkinson[26] Jacob Saifiti[25]
Zac Hosking[27] Pasami Saulo[20]
Tom Hughes[9] Sam Stone[27]
Jack Johns[28] Connor Watson[29]
Brock Lamb[30]
Jacob Lillyman[31]
Chanel Mata'utia[32]
Pat Mata'utia[33]
Nick Meaney[34]
Brent Naden[35]
Dylan Phythian[36]
Ken Sio[37]
Tom Starling[38]
Luke Yates[39]

Ladder[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Sydney Roosters 24 16 0 8 1 542 361 +181 34
2 Melbourne Storm 24 16 0 8 1 536 363 +173 34
3 South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 16 0 8 1 582 437 +145 34
4 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24 16 0 8 1 519 423 +96 34
5 Penrith Panthers 24 15 0 9 1 517 461 +56 32
6 Brisbane Broncos 24 15 0 9 1 556 500 +56 32
7 St. George Illawarra Dragons 24 15 0 9 1 519 472 +47 32
8 New Zealand Warriors 24 15 0 9 1 472 447 +25 32
9 Wests Tigers 24 12 0 12 1 377 460 −83 26
10 Canberra Raiders 24 10 0 14 1 563 540 +23 22
11 Newcastle Knights 24 9 0 15 1 414 607 −193 20
12 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24 8 0 16 1 428 474 −46 18
13 North Queensland Cowboys 24 8 0 16 1 449 521 −72 18
14 Gold Coast Titans 24 8 0 16 1 472 582 −110 18
15 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24 7 0 17 1 500 622 −122 16
16 Parramatta Eels 24 6 0 18 1 374 550 −176 14

Jerseys and sponsors[edit]

In 2018, the Knights' jerseys were made by ISC and their major sponsor was nib Health Funds.

2018 Home Jersey 2018 Away Jersey 2018 Heritage Jersey 2018 Indigenous Jersey 2018 MHF Beanie For Brain Cancer Jersey 2018 NSW Mining Jersey 2018 Women In League Jersey

Fixtures[edit]

Preseason trials[edit]

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
Wednesday, 7 February Trial 1 Melbourne Storm AAMI Park 26 – 22 L.Fitzgibbon, K.Ponga, K.Sio, J.Buhrer, T.Cronan K.Ponga (2/3), B.Lamb (1/2) closed to public[40]
Saturday, 24 February Trial 2 Parramatta Eels Maitland No.1 Sportsground 6 – 26 S.Kenny-Dowall K.Ponga (1/1)
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

Regular season[edit]

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
9 March 1 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 19-18[41] K. Ponga, S. Griffin, L. Fitzgibbon K. Ponga (3/3), M. Pearce (FG) 23,516[42]
18 March 2 Canberra Raiders GIO Stadium, Canberra 30-28[43] L. Fitzgibbon, A. Guerra, S. Mata'utia, T. Moga, C. Watson K. Ponga (5/6) 12,626[43]
25 March 3 Sydney Roosters Allianz Stadium, Sydney 8-38[44] A. Guerra K. Ponga (2/3) 15,153[45]
1 April 4 St. George Illawarra Dragons WIN Stadium, Wollongong 12-30[46] T. Moga, C. Heighington K. Ponga (2/2) 18,589[46]
7 April 5 Brisbane Broncos McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 15-10[47] L. Fitzgibbon, D. Saifiti K. Ponga (3/3), M. Pearce (FG) 21,969[47]
13 April 6 Melbourne Storm AAMI Park, Melbourne 14-40[48] K. Sio (2), L. Fitzgibbon K. Ponga (1/3) 12,386[48]
21 April 7 Wests Tigers Scully Park, Tamworth 22-20[49] K. Sio (3), S. Kenny-Dowall, M. Pearce K. Ponga (1/5)[50] 10,082
27 April 8 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Lottoland, Manly 18-12[51] S. Griffin, N. Ross, C. Watson K. Sio (3/4) 5,715
4 May 9 South Sydney Rabbitohs McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 18-36[52] S. Kenny-Dowall (2), S. Mata'utai, L. Fitzgibbon K. Sio (1/4) 22,718 [52]
11 May 10 Penrith Panthers McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 18-29[53] K. Ponga, N. Ross, C. Watson B. Lamb (2/2), K. Sio (1/1) 14,801
19 May 11 Gold Coast Titans Cbus Super Stadium, Robina 26-33[54] H. Ese'ese, S. Mata'utia, K. Ponga, K. Sio B. Lamb (5/5) 11,008
27 May 12 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 10-48[55] L. Fitzgibbon, S. Mata'utia K. Sio (1/1), K. Ponga (0/1) 20,913
2 June 13 Parramatta Eels ANZ Stadium, Sydney 30-4[56] J. Cogger, S. Mata'utia, D. Saifiti, K. Sio, C. Watson K. Ponga (5/6) 7,719
9 June 14 Sydney Roosters McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 16-18[57] S. Mata'utia, K. Ponga K. Ponga (4/4) 18,029
17 June 15 Melbourne Storm McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 10-28[58] K. Ponga, K. Sio K. Ponga (1/2) 14,803
30 June 16 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 16-36[59] C. Watson (2), H. Ese'ese K. Sio (2/3) 17,755
17 Bye
13 July 18 Parramatta Eels McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 18-16[60] C. Watson, S. Kenny-Dowall, M. Pearce K. Sio (3/4) 15,860
21 July 19 Gold Coast Titans McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 30-24[61] M. Barnett (2), N. Meaney, L. Fitzgibbon, S. Kenny-Dowall K. Sio (5/6) 14,095
27 July 20 North Queensland Cowboys 1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville 18-20[62] L. Fitzgibbon (2), A. Guerra K. Sio (3/4) 11,709
3 August 21 Wests Tigers McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 16-25[63] A. Guerra, S. Mata'utia, K. Ponga K. Sio (2/3) 18,561
10 August 22 New Zealand Warriors Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland 4-20[64] K. Sio K. Sio (0/1) 14,395
18 August 23 Penrith Panthers Panthers Stadium, Penrith
26 August 24 Cronulla Sutherland Sharks Southern Cross Group Stadium, Cronulla
1 September 25 St George Illawarra Dragons McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

Statistics[edit]

Name Appearances Tries Goals Field Goals Points Captain Age
Mitchell Barnett 23 2 0 0 8 0 24
Jamie Buhrer 20 0 0 0 0 20 29
Jack Cogger 12 1 0 0 4 0 21
Cory Denniss 11 1 0 0 4 0 21
Herman Ese'ese 23 2 0 0 8 0 24
JJ Felise 2 0 0 0 0 0 22
Lachlan Fitzgibbon 21 9 0 0 36 0 24
Slade Griffin 16 2 0 0 8 0 27
Aidan Guerra 24 5 0 0 20 9 30
Chris Heighington 21 1 0 0 4 0 36
Shaun Kenny-Dowall 24 6 0 0 24 0 30
Josh King 13 0 0 0 0 0 23
Brock Lamb 8 0 7 0 14 0 21
Danny Levi 17 0 0 0 0 0 23
Jacob Lillyman 15 0 0 0 0 0 34
Sione Mata'utia 23 8 0 0 32 0 22
Nick Meaney 5 2 1 0 10 0 21
Tautau Moga 4 2 0 0 8 0 25
Mitchell Pearce 15 2 0 2 10 15 29
Kalyn Ponga 20 6 27 0 78 0 20
Nathan Ross 15 2 0 0 8 0 30
Daniel Saifiti 21 3 0 0 12 0 22
Jacob Saifiti 8 0 0 0 0 0 22
Pasami Saulo 3 0 0 0 0 0 20
Ken Sio 20 12 25 0 98 0 28
Tom Starling 1 0 0 0 0 0 20
Sam Stone 2 0 0 0 0 0 21
Connor Watson 15 7 0 0 28 0 22
Luke Yates 6 0 0 0 0 0 23
Totals 24 73 60 2 414 - Average: 25

29 players used.

Source:[65]

Representative honours[edit]

The following players appeared in a representative match in 2018.

Australian Schoolboys

Fiji

Junior Kiwis

New South Wales under-16s

New South Wales under-18s

New Zealand

Queensland

Queensland under-20s

Individual honours[edit]

Newcastle Knights awards[edit]

Player of the Year[edit]

  • National Rugby League (NRL) Player of the Year: Kalyn Ponga
  • Intrust Super Premiership NSW Player of the Year: Luke Yates
  • Jersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year: Beau Fermor

Players' Player[edit]

  • National Rugby League (NRL) Players' Player: Kalyn Ponga
  • Intrust Super Premiership NSW Players' Player: Luke Yates
  • Jersey Flegg Cup Players' Player: Mat Croker

Coach's Award[edit]

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