With the first round of the 2025 season all done and dusted, we saw some exciting football. From our Las Vegas opener, Brisbane and Melbourne putting 50 on their respective opponents and Newcastle and South Sydney both winning thrillers in Sydney on Friday.

The biggest singing of the 2026 season has already been done: Dylan Brown will be joining the Newcastle Knights on a 10-year deal at $1.3 million dollars a season to be their long term halfback.

Last year, the Knights were changing their halves consistently but now, it seems like the plan is to lock their halves for 2026. As for 2025, Fletcher Sharpe will be our 6 and Jack Cogger will be our 7.

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From the looks of things, our long term first choice spine will be:

1. Ponga
6. Sharpe
7. Brown
9. Crossland (who will also play 13)
14. Arthur (plays 9 to shift Crossland to 13)

Kalyn Ponga loves the town and will most likely never want to leave. If he wanted to play with certain players, he would have left a long time ago. Fletcher Sharpe and Phoenix Crossland are two local talents who love this town and will stay here until they die.

Peter O’Sullivan was the one who made the call to bring Dylan Brown to town and so be it. He’s the best recruiter in the game. He has a far better football mind than I do and same can be said for most people who will read this article.

The Knights are clearing way of some players, such as: Jackson Hastings – $800,000, Jayden Brailey – $650,000, Adam Elliott – $550,000, Jack Hetherington – $550,000.

Brown on $1.3 million will leave $1.25 million remaining.

I firmly believe this is a massive move and despite that, we’re still looking after our nursery quite well.

Brown coming to play for us means he’s playing in our system. When he comes to town, he’s leaving the Parramatta Eels Dylan Brown in Parramatta and the Newcastle Knights Dylan Brown will be in Newcastle.

Api Koroisau may be the same man no matter who he plays for but playing for the system at the Tigers makes him a different footballer than he was when he played for the system at the Panthers. It happens all the time.

Look at James Tedesco from playing with Wests to playing with Easts, same can be said with Nick Meaney from Canterbury to Melbourne and so on.

Now Roarers, I’ve said my say so I’ll leave it up to you.