The 2021 Newcastle Knights season is the 34th in the club's history. Coached by Adam O'Brien and co-captained by Jayden Brailey and Daniel Saifiti, they compete in the NRL's 2021 Telstra Premiership.
2021 Newcastle Knights season | |
---|---|
Team information | |
CEO | Phil Gardner |
Coach | Adam O'Brien |
Captain | |
Stadium | McDonald Jones Stadium |
Top scorers | |
Tries | Starford To'a (5) |
Goals | Mitchell Barnett (13) |
Points | Mitchell Barnett (38) |
Squad
2021 NRL premiership (Top 30) squad | Development players | Coaching staff | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
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Extended squad players
| Head coach
Assistant coaches
Updated: 7 June 2021 |
Transfers and Re-signings
Gains
Player/Coach | Previous Club | Length | Source |
---|---|---|---|
McKenzie Baker | Sydney Roosters | 2021 | [1] |
Zane Camroux | Wests Tigers | 2021 | [2] |
Tyler Coburn | Ipswich Jets | Pre-season | [3] |
Jake Clifford | North Queensland Cowboys | 2023 | [4] |
Tyson Frizell | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 2023 | [5] |
Bailey Hodgson | Castleford Tigers | 2023 | [6] |
Jack Johns | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2021 | [7] |
Jacob Kiraz | North Queensland Cowboys | 2021 | [8] |
Blake Lenehan | Ipswich Jets | Pre-season | [3] |
Brayden Musgrove | Cessnock Goannas | 2022 | [9] |
Andrew Ryan (Canterbury Cup NSW coach) | South Newcastle Lions | 2021 | [10] |
Garrett Smith | North Queensland Cowboys | 2021 | [11] |
Sauaso Sue | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 2022 | [12] |
Dom Young | Huddersfield Giants | 2023 | [13] |
Losses
Player/Coach | Club | Source |
---|---|---|
Jack Cameron | South Sydney Rabbitohs | [14] |
Matt Cooper | Lakes United | [15] |
Herman Ese'ese | Gold Coast Titans | [16] |
Beau Fermor | Gold Coast Titans | [17] |
David Furner (assistant coach) | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | [18] |
Tim Glasby | Retirement | [19] |
Tony Gleeson (Canterbury Cup NSW coach) | Released | |
Aidan Guerra | Retirement | [20] |
Danny Levi | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | [21] |
Mason Lino | Wakefield Trinity | [22] |
Toby Marks | Canberra Raiders | [23] |
Sione Mata'utia | St Helens R.F.C. | [24] |
Andrew McCullough | Brisbane Broncos | [25] |
Tautau Moga | South Sydney Rabbitohs | [26] |
Tyronne Roberts-Davis | Wests Tigers | [27] |
Brandon Russell | Tweed Heads Seagulls | [28] |
Bayden Searle | Macquarie Scorpions | [29] |
Promoted juniors
Player | Junior side | Source |
---|---|---|
Harry Croker | Knights Jersey Flegg Cup | [30] |
Cooper Jenkins | Knights Jersey Flegg Cup | [31] |
Christian Ma'anaima | Knights Jersey Flegg Cup | [32] |
Jaron Purcell | Knights Jersey Flegg Cup | [1] |
Daniel Ticehurst | Knights Jersey Flegg Cup | [33] |
Chris Vea'ila | Knights S. G. Ball Cup | [34] |
Change of role
Player/Coach | New role | Source |
---|---|---|
Adam Bettridge (Jersey Flegg Cup coach) | Knights S. G. Ball Cup assistant coach | [35] |
Luke Huth | Knights second-tier squad | [36] |
Rory Kostjasyn (Knights development coach) | Knights NRL assistant coach | [37] |
Eric Smith (Knights development coach) | Knights NRL assistant coach | [37] |
Re-signings
Player/Coach | Re-signed to | Source |
---|---|---|
Bradman Best | 2024 | [38] |
Hymel Hunt | 2023 | [39] |
Brodie Jones | 2023 | [40] |
Adam O'Brien (head coach) | 2024 | [41] |
Mitchell Pearce | 2022 | [42] |
Daniel Saifiti | 2026 | [43] |
Jacob Saifiti | 2024 | [43] |
Starford To'a | 2023 | [44] |
Player contract situations
2021 (leaving) | 2021(off-contract) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2026 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tyler Coburn[45] | McKenzie Baker[1] | Jayden Brailey[46] | Mitchell Barnett[47] | Bradman Best[38] | Daniel Saifiti[43] |
Blake Green[48] | Mitch Black[1] | Jirah Momoisea[49] | Jake Clifford[4] | Jacob Saifiti[43] | |
Blake Lenehan[45] | Zane Camroux[2] | Brayden Musgrove[9] | Tyson Frizell[5] | Kalyn Ponga[50] | |
Harry Croker[30] | Mitchell Pearce[43] | Bailey Hodgson[6] | |||
Mat Croker[51] | Simi Sasagi[40] | Hymel Hunt[39] | |||
Phoenix Crossland[52] | Pasami Saulo[53] | Brodie Jones[40] | |||
Lachlan Fitzgibbon[54] | Gehamat Shibasaki[55] | David Klemmer[56] | |||
Zac Hosking[57] | Sauaso Sue[12] | Christian Ma'anaima[32] | |||
Tex Hoy[58] | Daniel Ticehurst[33] | Starford To'a[44] | |||
Cooper Jenkins[31] | Dom Young[13] | ||||
Jack Johns[7] | |||||
Josh King[59] | |||||
Jacob Kiraz[8] | |||||
Edrick Lee[60] | |||||
Dylan Lucas[30] | |||||
Kurt Mann[61] | |||||
Jaron Purcell[1] | |||||
Chris Randall[11] | |||||
Garrett Smith[11] | |||||
Matt Soper-Lawler[62] | |||||
Enari Tuala[63] | |||||
Chris Vea'ila[34] | |||||
Connor Watson[64] |
Ladder
2021 NRL season | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
1 | Melbourne Storm | 18 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 652 | 214 | +438 | 34 |
2 | Penrith Panthers | 18 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 517 | 185 | +332 | 34 |
3 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 563 | 368 | +195 | 32 |
4 | Parramatta Eels | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 484 | 267 | +217 | 28 |
5 | Sydney Roosters | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 475 | 357 | +118 | 26 |
6 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 529 | 378 | +151 | 24 |
7 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 368 | 414 | −46 | 18 |
8 | Canberra Raiders | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 359 | 431 | −72 | 18 |
9 | Gold Coast Titans | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 426 | 478 | −52 | 16 |
10 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 17 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 334 | 394 | −60 | 16 |
11 | Newcastle Knights | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 291 | 448 | −157 | 16 |
12 | Wests Tigers | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 396 | 546 | −150 | 14 |
13 | North Queensland Cowboys | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 340 | 547 | −207 | 14 |
14 | New Zealand Warriors | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 355 | 486 | −131 | 12 |
15 | Brisbane Broncos | 18 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 294 | 560 | −266 | 10 |
16 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 17 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 212 | 522 | −310 | 6 |
Milestones
- Round 1: Jayden Brailey captained his 1st game for the club.
- Round 1: Tyson Frizell made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
- Round 1: Daniel Saifiti played his 100th career game and captained his 1st game for the club.
- Round 1: Sauaso Sue made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
- Round 2: Jayden Brailey scored his 1st try for the club.
- Round 3: Tyson Frizell scored his 1st try for the club.
- Round 3: Mitchell Pearce played his 300th career game.
- Round 3: Dom Young made his NRL debut for the club, after previously playing for the Huddersfield Giants.
- Round 4: Kurt Mann kicked his 1st career field goal.
- Round 5: Chris Randall scored his 1st career try.
- Round 6: Hymel Hunt played his 50th game for the club.
- Round 6: Brodie Jones scored his 1st career try.
- Round 6: Brayden Musgrove made his NRL debut for the club.
- Round 8: David Klemmer played his 50th game for the club.
- Round 8: Brayden Musgrove scored his 1st career try.
- Round 9: Connor Watson played his 50th game for the club.
- Round 10: Mitchell Barnett played his 100th career game.
- Round 11: Phoenix Crossland kicked his 1st career goal.
- Round 11: Simi Sasagi made his NRL debut for the club.
- Round 11: Sauaso Sue scored his 1st try for the club.
- Round 12: Mitchell Barnett played his 100th game for the club.
- Round 13: Jake Clifford made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the North Queensland Cowboys.
- Round 13: Mat Croker made his NRL debut for the club.
- Round 13: Jack Johns made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
- Round 14: Jake Clifford kicked his 1st goal for the club.
- Round 14: Kurt Mann played his 50th game for the club.
- Round 14: Dom Young scored his 1st career try.
- Round 16: Hymel Hunt played his 100th career game.
Jerseys and sponsors
In 2021, the Knights' jerseys are made by O'Neills and their major sponsor is nib Health Funds.
2021 Home Jersey | 2021 Away Jersey | 2021 Heritage Jersey | 2021 Indigenous Jersey | 2021 NSW Mining Jersey |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fixtures
Pre-season Trials
Date | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Conversions | Attendance | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 27 February | Melbourne Storm | Albury Sports Ground | 10–30 | D.Lucas, D.Young | C.Randall (1/1) | |||||
Legend: Win Loss Draw |
Statistics
Name | Appearances | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points | Captain | Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell Barnett | 17 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 27 |
Bradman Best | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
Jayden Brailey | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 17 | 25 |
Jake Clifford | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 23 |
Mat Croker | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
Phoenix Crossland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 21 |
Lachlan Fitzgibbon | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 27 |
Tyson Frizell | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 30 |
Blake Green | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Tex Hoy | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 22 |
Hymel Hunt | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 28 |
Jack Johns | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Brodie Jones | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 23 |
Josh King | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 26 |
David Klemmer | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
Kurt Mann | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 28 |
Brayden Musgrove | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 |
Mitchell Pearce | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 32 |
Kalyn Ponga | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 23 |
Chris Randall | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 26 |
Daniel Saifiti | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 25 |
Jacob Saifiti | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 25 |
Simi Sasagi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
Pasami Saulo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
Gehamat Shibasaki | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 |
Sauaso Sue | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 29 |
Starford To'a | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 21 |
Enari Tuala | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 23 |
Connor Watson | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 25 |
Dom Young | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 20 |
Totals | 17 | 52 | 37 | 1 | 283 | – | Average: 25 |
30 players used.
Source:[65]
Representative honours
The following players appeared in a representative match or were named in a representative squad in 2021.
Emerging Blues squad
- Bradman Best
- Tex Hoy
- Jacob Saifiti
New South Wales
- Daniel Saifiti
Queensland
- Kurt Mann (18th man)
- Kalyn Ponga
References
- ^ a b c d e "Knights v Cessnock trial team list". Newcastle Knights. February 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "Round 2 Junior Rep team lists". Newcastle Knights. February 9, 2021.
- ^ a b "Coburn and Lenehan excited for Knights life". Queensland Rugby League. November 26, 2020.
- ^ a b "Jake Clifford joins Knights for remainder of 2021 season". Newcastle Knights. May 29, 2021.
- ^ a b "Tyson Frizell accepts Knights offer". Newcastle Knights. March 26, 2020.
- ^ a b "Bailey Hodgson joins Knights for '21 season". Newcastle Knights. November 19, 2020.
- ^ a b "Jack Johns returns on development deal". Newcastle Knights. November 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Full 2021 NRL squad list and development players". Newcastle Knights. February 4, 2021.
- ^ a b "Brayden Musgrove returns to NRL squad". Newcastle Knights. February 4, 2021.
- ^ "Seibold appointed coaching consultant at Knights". December 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c Toohey, Barry (November 21, 2020). "TOOHEY'S NEWS: New Knights teenage signing earns Ponga comparison". Newcastle Herald.
- ^ a b "Sauaso Sue signs with the Knights". Newcastle Knights. November 19, 2020.
- ^ a b "Knights sign towering young Englishman". Newcastle Knights. August 7, 2020.
- ^ Bode, Mark (December 2, 2020). "Cameron to share love nest with his beautiful dancer girlfriend after joining Rabbitohs". The Northern Daily Leader.
- ^ "Seagulls, Knights' bond paying dividends". May 20, 2021.
- ^ "HERMAN HEADED TO THE TITANS". Gold Coast Titans. July 13, 2020.
- ^ TOOHEY, BARRY (January 28, 2020). "Boom Knights backrower quits club to link with Gold Coast Titans". Newcastle Herald.
- ^ "David Furner named as part of Bulldogs new Coaching and High Performance Staff for 2021". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. September 18, 2020.
- ^ "Glasby retires: Epitome of hard worker hangs up boots". National Rugby League. September 20, 2020.
- ^ "Guerra retires: Knights veteran hanging up boots at season's end". National Rugby League. September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Sea Eagles sign Danny Levi". Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. January 24, 2020.
- ^ Toohey, Barry (24 November 2020). "Ex-Knight Mason Lino signs with Wakefield in English Super League". Newcastle Herald.
- ^ "Jersey Flegg Training Squad". Canberra Raiders. November 13, 2020.
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- ^ DILLON, ROBERT (November 3, 2020). "O'Brien hopes Moga rebounds with Rabbits after release from Knights". Newcastle Herald.
- ^ Harper, Lachlan (February 19, 2021). "Roberts-Davis named in Wests Tigers squad for NRL trial match". The Macleay Argus.
- ^ "Brandon Russell". Queensland Rugby League.
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- ^ a b "NSW Cup side score win to rise into top four". Newcastle Knights. May 17, 2021.
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- ^ a b "NRL 2020: transfers, contracts, Esan Marsters stays at the Cowboys, Danny Levi, Manly, Newcastle Knights,". November 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "Round 3 Junior Rep team lists". Newcastle Knights. February 16, 2021.
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- ^ "Round 12 NSW Cup Team List". Newcastle Knights. May 25, 2021.
- ^ a b "'This is everything we want in our staff': O'Brien reveals 2021 coaching team". Newcastle Knights. December 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "Bradman Best extends Knights deal". Newcastle Knights. March 2, 2021.
- ^ a b "Hymel Hunt extends Knights contract". Newcastle Knights. July 16, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Brodie Jones inks multi-year Knights deal". Newcastle Knights. July 8, 2021.
- ^ "O'Brien handed extension; New Pearce deal on way". National Rugby League. February 25, 2021.
- ^ "Pearce drops contract bombshell" – via www.newcastleknights.com.au.
- ^ a b c d e "Daniel and Jacob Saifiti sign long term Knights deals". Newcastle Knights. July 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "To'a inks fresh NRL deal". Newcastle Knights. November 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "Round 5 Intrust Super Cup teams". Queensland Rugby League. April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Jayden Brailey to join Knights in 2020". Newcastle Knights. 31 July 2019.
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- ^ "Blake Green confirms retirement from Rugby League". Newcastle Knights. May 25, 2021.
- ^ "Promising youngster Momoisea extends NRL deal". Newcastle Knights. January 28, 2020.
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- ^ "'It means everything': Croker set to make dream debut". Newcastle Knights. June 4, 2021.
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- ^ "Forward Saulo extends NRL contract". Newcastle Knights. January 29, 2020.
- ^ "Knights re-sign FItzgibbon". Zero Tackle. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ "Gehamat Shibasaki signs with Newcastle Knights". Newcastle Knights. December 5, 2019.
- ^ "Knights secure Origin and Test enforcer Klemmer". 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
- ^ "Round 1 NSW Cup Team List". Newcastle Knights. March 10, 2021.
- ^ "Tex Hoy promoted to Knights Top 30 NRL squad". Newcastle Knights. February 29, 2020.
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- ^ "Knights add Lee". Zero Tackle. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ Moorhead, Joseph (9 December 2018). "Knights slay the Dragons in Kurt Mann poaching". Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "Round 7 NSW Cup Team List". Newcastle Knights. April 21, 2021.
- ^ "Enari Tuala re-signs with Newcastle Knights". Newcastle Knights. March 2, 2020.
- ^ "Connor Watson re-signs with the Knights". Newcastle Knights. October 16, 2020.
- ^ "NRL 2021 - Newcastle Knights - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.