Newcastle Knights 2015 Preview

The Newcastle Knights will head into the new season looking to improve on what can only be described as an underachieving and often challenging season both on and off the field in 2014.

High expectations were placed on the club after making a late season charge the previous year in which they fell one game short of a Grand Final. The season would quickly unravel however, with the tragic injury to Alex McKinnon in round three rocking his team mates to the core. This, along with ongoing ownership issues which involved players reportedly not being paid on time and some poor on field performances resulted in a lowly twelfth place finish. 

Late in the season though, some positives began to emerge. The team went on a surge winning eight of its last eleven matches including five straight wins at home to finish the year, reverting back to a much more attacking brand of footy along the way. During this run of form a couple of rookies in Sione and Chanel Mata'utia announced themselves to the rugby league world with some outstanding performances.

The club and fans will be looking to build on the strong finish last year and after finishing just two wins out of the eight despite the tough year, surely semi-final football is within their reach. Newcastle has reappointed Rick Stone as coach in a move tailored towards the club reconnecting with the local community and making the famous ‘Novocastrian Spirit' a force to be reckoned with once more.

Along with Stone, new faces at the club include Tariq Sims, Jack Stockwell and Carlos Tuimavave. While Stockwell and Tuimavave will add depth in their respective positions, the big signing is undoubtedly Sims who is coming to join forces with younger brother Korbin.

Stone will be hoping Sims can add even more starch to an already aggressive back row. They will have to wait until round five to see their star recruit hit the park though with Sims set to miss the opening month as he serves the remainder of a five week suspension carried over from last year.

Perhaps the biggest decision for Stone will be where and at what stage to play the Mata'utia brothers. Will they be given first crack at their backline positions after their stunning form last year and if so, what will it mean for incumbents Uate, McManus and club captain Kurt Gidley?

After becoming the youngest man in history to represent the Kangaroos last year surely Sione will get a start. It would be a tough call to make, but surely the right one moving forward is for Sione to play fullback and Gidley to be used as a utility off the bench, a role he has served so well at both state and international level in the past.

WHY THEY'LL WIN IT
· STRONG START - It's imperative they get off to a strong start playing eight of their twelve home games in the first half of the season. If they can win the majority of their home games it will put them in a strong position heading into the back half of the year.
· INJECTION OF YOUTH - Not since the people of Newcastle spent their nights painting a bit of "JOHNS MAGIC" on their banners in the mid 90's has there been more hype around a set of brothers bursting onto the scene. If the Mata'utia's become the superstars many are predicting, Newcastle have struck gold twice.
· CLASSY BACKLINE - Along with the Mata'utia's, the Knights also possess some of the more talented outside backs in the game. If their forwards can lay a good platform, the likes of Gagai, Leilua and Uate should get plenty of chances to attack.

WHY THEY WON'T
· CONSISTENCY - If Wayne Bennett couldn't work out "which Newcastle team would get off the bus" who on earth can? There's times the Knights can look like world beaters but the gap between their best and worst games is far too big.
· LACK OF MUSCLE UP FRONT - The loss of Willie Mason could hurt more then people think. Apart from Kade Snowden there's not a lot of size in the Knight's engine room. Unless they can find the next Chief Harragon, they could be playing a lot of their football off the back foot.
· MATA'UTIA DRAMA - The Knights will want to sort out the futures of the three brothers sooner rather than later before it becomes a major distraction that effects on field performances.

KEY PLAYERS
Tyrone Roberts
On the few occasions Tyrone Roberts has taken full control of his footy team, they have looked near unstoppable. If Rick Stone can get Roberts at his best ona weekly basis and hand him the reign's fulltime, the Knights will improve dramatically.
Kade Snowden
It's fair to say the Knights haven't received bang for their buck with Snowden but with a lack of big men up front they need his best now more than ever. If he can get back to his Cronulla form playing big minutes and charging hard and straight he can drag the rest of his pack along with him.

ROOKIE TO WATCH
Daniel Levi
Obviously all eyes will be on the Mata'utia brothers but look out also for the club's Holden Cup Captain and Hooker. Levi captained his team to the minor premiership and was then named in the Holden Cup team of the year as well as representing the Junior Kiwis at the end of the year.

It's fair to say Clydsdale hasn't nailed down the number nine jersey yet and doesn't play 80 minutes so expect to see Levi get his chance at some stage.

PLAYER MOVEMENT
GAINS - Tariq Sims (Cowboys), Jack Stockwell (Dragons), Carlos Tuimavave (Warriors)
LOSSES - Adam Cuthbertson (Leeds), Michael Dobson (Salford), Matt Hilder (Retired), Travis Waddell (Broncos), Matt Minto (QLD Cup), Josh Mantellato (Hull KR), Willie Mason (Manly), Brayden Williame (Manly), Zane Tetevano (Unsigned), Darius Boyd (Broncos)

BEST LINE-UP
1. Sione Mata'utia
2. Akuila Uate
3. Dane Gagai
4. Joey Leilua
5. James McManus
6. Jarrod Mullen
7. Tyrone Roberts
8. Kade Snowden
9. Adam Clydsdale
10. Jack Stockwell
11. Tariq Sims
12. Beau Scott
13. Jeremy Smith
Interchange: 14. Kurt Gidley 15. Robbie Rochow 16. David Fa'aologo 17. Korbin Sims