Newcastle legend assures supporters of consistent halves pairings and battle hardened Ponga

Newcastle legend Kurt Gidley has assured supporters that the Knights will have a more settled halves pairing heading into the 2025 season.

Newcastle had 11 separate halves combinations in 2024 which naturally brought a lack of fluidity and continuity to their attack which resulted in coach Adam O’Brien’s side finishing with the second worst attack in the competition behind the last placed Wests Tigers.

The Knights entered the 2024 finals campaign with Phoenix Crossland and Jack Cogger as their playmakers and Gidley expects that to remain to start the 2025 season.

“I know that Fletcher Sharpe has been doing a lot of training over the Summer at five-eighth,” Gidley told SEN1170.

“There’s some competition at the club, that’s for sure.

“If I had to pick a halves pairing to start the year, I’ve enjoyed watching Phoenix Crossland over the past couple of years.

“He’s worked really hard in playing in tough spots, especially when Jayden Brailey has been out at hooker injured.

“I’d pair him alongside Jack Cogger.

“Adam O’Brien may look to use them at the start of the year or opt for players with some more experience (like) Jackson Hastings.

“It’s up to those players to put their case forward and play well in the upcoming trial games.”

The Knights will be looking towards their talismanic captain Kalyn Ponga once again in 2025 to break a Premiership drought which dates back to 2001.

Gidley has been impressed by Ponga’s development as a leader and feels the 2023 Dally M Medal winner is perfectly equipped to lead the club to success.

“He’s matured now and he’s at an age where he’s ready to take his leadership to another level,” Gidley said.

“I see that in the way he gets interviewed by the media and the way he represents himself.

“In 2023, he was out with a number of concussions and he was out last year for a period with a foot injury.

“The team struggles when he’s not there because he’s a key player and we don’t have the depth like Melbourne or Penrith.

“He’s given the team this belief that if Kalyn’s not there, the team still has belief to get the job done.”

Newcastle take on the Wests Tigers in Round 1 in Campbelltown on March 7.