2017 Newcastle Knights season explained

The 2017 Newcastle Knights season was the 30th in the club's history. Coached by Nathan Brown and captained by Trent Hodkinson, before being replaced by Sione Mata'utia and Jamie Buhrer in the captaincy role, they competed in the NRL's 2017 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 16th place (out of 16).

Milestones

• Round 1: Jamie Buhrer made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
• Round 1: Ken Sio made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Hull Kingston Rovers.
• Round 1: Josh Starling made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
• Round 1: Jack Stockwell scored his 1st try for the club.
• Round 1: Sam Stone made his NRL debut for the club.
• Round 1: Luke Yates made his NRL debut for the club.
• Round 2: Sam Stone scored his 1st career try.
• Round 3: Brock Lamb kicked his 1st career goal.
• Round 3: Ken Sio scored his 1st try for the club.
• Round 4: Joe Wardle made his NRL debut for the club, after previously playing for the Huddersfield Giants.
• Round 5: Jacob Gagan made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and scored his 1st try for the club.
• Round 5: Sione Mata'utia played his 50th career game.
• Round 5: Anthony Tupou made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
• Round 5: Joe Wardle scored his 1st try for the club.
• Round 8: Sione Mata'utia captained his 1st game for the club.
• Round 10: Brock Lamb scored his 1st career try.
• Round 14: Jaelen Feeney scored his 1st career try.
• Round 18: Jamie Buhrer captained his 1st game for the club.
• Round 20: Trent Hodkinson played his 150th career game.
• Round 20: Shaun Kenny-Dowall made his debut for the club, after previously playing for the Sydney Roosters, and scored his 1st try for the club.
• Round 25: Jamie Buhrer scored his 1st try for the club.

Transfers and Re-signings

Gains

Player/Coach	Previous Club	Length
Jamie Buhrer	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	2018
Thomas Cronan	Canberra Raiders	2017
Jacob Gagan	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	2017
Shaun Kenny-Dowall	Sydney Roosters	2019
Rory Kostjasyn	North Queensland Cowboys	2018
Ken Sio	Hull Kingston Rovers	2018
Josh Starling	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	2017
Anthony Tupou	Wakefield Trinity Wildcats	2017
Joe Wardle	Huddersfield Giants	2019
Simon Woolford (ISP NSW coach)	Queanbeyan Blues	2017
Kurt Wrigley (assistant coach)	South Sydney Rabbitohs	2017

Losses

Player/Coach	Club
Chris Adams	Lakes United
Uiti Baker	Western Suburbs Rosellas
Danny Buderus (assistant coach)	Released
Krys Freeman	Central Queensland Capras
Tama Koopu	Norths Devils
Matt Lantry (ISP NSW coach)	Western Suburbs Rosellas
Todd Lowrie	Retirement
Robbie Rochow	South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tariq Sims	St. George Illawarra Dragons
Jeremy Smith	Retirement
Kade Snowden	Retirement
Joseph Tapine	Canberra Raiders
James Taylor	South Newcastle Lions
Ken Tofilau	Central Queensland Capras
Akuila Uate	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tekina Vailea	Eastern Suburbs Tigers

Promoted juniors

Player	Junior side
Tyrone Amey	Knights Intrust Super Premiership NSW
Tom Hughes	Knights Intrust Super Premiership NSW
Brodie Jones	Knights National Youth Competition
Nick Meaney	Knights National Youth Competition
Joe Morris	Knights Intrust Super Premiership NSW
Pasami Saulo	Knights National Youth Competition
Tom Starling	Knights National Youth Competition
Sam Stone	Knights National Youth Competition

Re-signings

Player/Coach	Re-signed to
Mitchell Barnett	2020
Cory Denniss	2018
Lachlan Fitzgibbon	2019
Tom Hughes	2018
Danny Levi	2020
Nick Meaney	2018
Dylan Phythian	2018
Nathan Ross	2020
Daniel Saifiti	2020
Jacob Saifiti	2020
Tom Starling	2018
Sam Stone	2018
Luke Yates	2018

Player contract situations

2017 (left)	2018	2019	2020
David Bhana[1]	Tyrone Amey[2]	Lachlan Fitzgibbon[3]	Mitchell Barnett[4]
Brendan Elliot[5]	Jamie Buhrer[6]	Shaun Kenny-Dowall[7]	Danny Levi[8]
Jaelen Feeney[9]	Jack Cogger[10]		Nathan Ross[11]
Dane Gagai[12]	Thomas Cronan[13]		Daniel Saifiti[14]
Jacob Gagan[15]	Cory Denniss[16]		Jacob Saifiti
Rory Kostjasyn[17]	Trent Hodkinson[18]
Jake Mamo[19]	Tom Hughes[20]
Sam Mataora[21]	Brodie Jones[22]
Peter Mata'utia[23]	Josh King[24]
Joe Morris[25]	Brock Lamb[26]
Jarrod Mullen[27]	Chanel Mata'utia[28]
Mickey Paea[29]	Pat Mata'utia
Pauli Pauli[30]	Sione Mata'utia
Will Pearsall	Nick Meaney
Tyler Randell[31]	Dylan Phythian
Braden Robson[32]	Pasami Saulo[33]
Korbin Sims[34]	Ken Sio[35]
Bradie Smith	Tom Starling
Josh Starling[36]	Sam Stone
Jack Stockwell[37]	Luke Yates
Anthony Tupou[38]
Joe Wardle[39]

Jerseys and sponsors

In 2017, the Knights' jerseys were made by ISC and their major sponsor was nib Health Funds.

Fixtures

Auckland Nines

See main article: 2017 NRL Auckland Nines.

Squad: 1. Peter Mata'utia 2. Ken Sio 3. Brendan Elliot 4. Nathan Ross 5. Cory Denniss 6. Brock Lamb 7. Jaelen Feeney 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Danny Levi 10. Jacob Saifiti 11. Mitchell Barnett 12. Jamie Buhrer (c) 13. Luke Yates 14. Tyler Randell 15. Jack Stockwell 16. Sam Stone 17. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 18. Nick Meaney 19. Sione Mata'utia (Emergency Player)

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Drop Goal Conversions	Attendance
Saturday, 4 February	Auckland Nines Game 5	Wests Tigers	Eden Park	18-10	K.Sio, N.Ross, S.Stone, M.Barnett	B.Lamb (1/4)
Saturday, 4 February	Auckland Nines Game 13	Brisbane Broncos	Eden Park	8-21	D.Levi, P.Mata'utia
Sunday, 5 February	Auckland Nines Game 22	Melbourne Storm	Eden Park	10-20	B.Lamb, C.Denniss	T.Randell (1/1)
Legend:

Regular season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals	Attendance
Sunday 5 March	1	New Zealand Warriors	Mt Smart Stadium	22  - 26[41]	N. Ross (2), P. Mata'utia, J. Stockwell	T. Hodkinson (3/5)	13,712
Saturday 11 March	2	Gold Coast Titans		34  - 26[42]	N. Ross (2), B. Elliot, P. Mata'utia, J. Stockwell, S. Stone	T. Hodkinson (5/6)	12,869
Saturday 18 March	3	South Sydney Rabbitohs	McDonald Jones Stadium	18  - 24[43]	T. Hodkinson, P. Mata'utia, K. Sio	T. Hodkinson (2/3), B. Lamb (1/1)	15,212
Friday 24 March	4	Penrith Panthers	Pepper Stadium	0  - 40[44]			10,567
Saturday 1 April	5	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Southern Cross Stadium	18  - 19[45]	Brendan Elliot, Jacob Gagan, Joe Wardle	Trent Hodkinson (3/3)	12,838
Friday 7 April	6	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	McDonald Jones Stadium	12  - 22[46]	Dane Gagai, Nathan Ross	Trent Hodkinson (2/3)	16,929
Friday 14 April	7	Sydney Roosters	McDonald Jones Stadium	6  - 24[47]	Ken Sio	Trent Hodkinson (1/1)	21,412
Saturday 22 April	8	North Queensland Cowboys	1300SMILES Stadium	12  - 24[48]	Brendan Elliot, Nathan Ross	Brock Lamb (2/2)	13,878
Saturday 29 April	9	Gold Coast Titans	Cbus Super Stadium	8  - 38[49]	Sam Stone	Brock Lamb (2/2)	10,511
Sunday 14 May	10	Canberra Raiders	McDonald Jones Stadium	34  - 20[50]	Sione Mata'utia (2), Brock Lamb, Peter Mata'utia, Nathan Ross, Joe Wardle	Brock Lamb (5/7)	10,997
Sunday 21 May	11	Penrith Panthers	McDonald Jones Stadium	20  - 30[51]	Brock Lamb, Peter Mata'utia, Daniel Saifiti	Brock Lamb (4/4)	13,319
	12	BYE
Friday 2 June	13	Melbourne Storm	AAMI Park	12  - 40[52]	Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Ken Sio	Brock Lamb (2/2)	11,070
Friday 9 June	14	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Brookvale Oval	14  - 18[53]	Jaelen Feeney, Daniel Levi	Brock Lamb (3/3)	4,189
	15	BYE
Sunday 25 June	16	St George Illawarra	UOW Jubilee Oval	28  - 32[54]	Nathan Ross (3), Brendan Elliot, Lachlan Fitzgibbon	Brock Lamb (4/6)	10,174
Sunday 2 July	17	Wests Tigers	McDonald Jones Stadium	12  - 33[55]	Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Joe Wardle	Trent Hodkinson (2/2)	19,531
Sunday 9 July	18	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Belmore	18  - 20[56]	Peter Mata'utia (2), Chanel Mata'utia	Trent Hodkinson (3/4), Brock Lamb (0/1)	13,103
15 July 2017	19	Brisbane Broncos	McDonald Jones Stadium	34  - 22[57]	Dane Gagai, Daniel Levi, Chanel Mata'utia, Sione Mata'utia	Trent Hodkinson (3/4)	13,773
Friday 21 July	20	Sydney Roosters	Allianz Stadium	4  - 28[58]	Shaun Kenny-Dowall	Trent Hodkinson (0/1)	7,121
29 July 2017	21	St. George Illawarra Dragons	McDonald Jones Stadium	21  - 14[59]	Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Brock Lamb, Jacob Sifiti	Trent Hodkinson (4/4) and (FG)	15,031[60]
Saturday 5 August	22	New Zealand Warriors	McDonald Jones Stadium	26  - 10[61]	Mitchell Barnett (2), Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Brock Lamb	Trent Hodkinson (5/6)	11,824[62]
Friday 11 August	23	Parramatta Eels	ANZ Stadium	29  - 10[63]	Ken Sio, Mitchell Barnett, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Brock Lamb	Trent Hodkinson (4/5), Brett Lamb (FG)	13,141
Saturday 19 August	24	Melbourne Storm	McDonald Jones Stadium	12  - 44[64]	Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Joe Wardle	Trent Hodkinson (2/2)	16,001[65]
Friday 25 August	25	Canberra Raiders	GIO Stadium	28  - 46[66]	Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Mitchell Barnett, Jamie Buhrer, Daniel Saifiti	Trent Hodkinson (4/5)	10,523
Sunday 3 September	26	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	McDonald Jones Stadium	18  - 26[67]	Lachlan Fitzgibbon (2), Daniel Levi	Trent Hodkinson (3/3)	20,535[68]
Legend:

Statistics

Name	Appearances	Tries	Goals	Field Goals	Points	Captain	Age
	1	0	0	0	0	0	21
	22	4	0	0	16	0	23
	16	1	0	0	4	9	28
	2	0	0	0	0	0	20
	12	4	0	0	16	0	23
	8	1	0	0	4	0	23
	14	8	0	0	32	0	23
	23	2	0	0	8	0	26
	1	1	0	0	4	0	24
	17	1	46	1	97	7	29
	6	4	0	0	16	0	29
	15	0	0	0	0	0	22
	21	5	23	1	67	0	20
	24	3	0	0	12	0	22
	1	0	0	0	0	0	27
	4	2	0	0	8	0	25
	24	7	0	0	28	0	27
	22	3	0	0	12	15	21
	5	0	0	0	0	0	31
	1	0	0	0	0	0	22
	5	0	0	0	0	0	25
	20	10	0	0	40	0	29
	23	2	0	0	8	0	21
	21	1	0	0	4	0	21
	21	5	0	0	20	0	27
	13	0	0	0	0	0	27
	10	2	0	0	8	0	25
	16	2	0	0	8	0	20
	4	0	0	0	0	0	34
	17	4	0	0	16	0	26
	19	0	0	0	0	0	22
Totals	24	72	69	2	418	-	Average: 25

31 players used.

Source:^[69]

Representative honours

See also: List of Newcastle Knights representatives.

The following players appeared in a representative match in 2017.

Australia

• Dane Gagai

Australian Schoolboys

• Luke Huth (squad member)

Cook Islands

• Sam Mataora

Fiji

• Michael Potter (coach)
• Daniel Saifiti
• Jacob Saifiti

Indigenous All Stars

• Dane Gagai

Italy

• Jack Johns

Junior Kangaroos

• Sam Stone

New South Wales City

• Pauli Pauli
• Nathan Ross

New South Wales Residents

• Josh King (18th man)
• Nick Meaney (19th man)

New South Wales under-16s

• Bradman Best
• Harry Croker
• Cooper Jenkins
• Jaron Purcell (captain)

New South Wales under-20s

• Nick Meaney

New Zealand

• Danny Levi

Prime Minister's XIII

• Dane Gagai

Queensland

• Dane Gagai

Samoa

• Peter Mata'utia
• Sione Mata'utia

Scotland

• Joe Wardle (train-on squad)

World All Stars

• Sione Mata'utia

Individual honours

Teams and squads

Intrust Super Premiership New South Wales Team of the Year

• Tom Hughes

Newcastle Knights awards

Player of the Year

• National Rugby League (NRL) Player of the Year: Mitchell Barnett
• Intrust Super Premiership NSW Player of the Year: Nick Meaney
• National Youth Competition (NYC) Player of the Year: Zac Hosking

Players' Player

• National Rugby League (NRL) Players' Player: Daniel Saifiti
• Intrust Super Premiership NSW Players' Player: Tom Hughes
• National Youth Competition (NYC) Players' Player: Matt Cooper

Coach's Award

• National Rugby League (NRL) Coach's Award: Jamie Buhrer
• Intrust Super Premiership NSW Coach's Award: Braden Robson
• National Youth Competition (NYC) Coach's Award: Heath Gibbs

Notes and References

1. Web site: Farewell David Bhana. NRL Digital. Media. 18 October 2017.
2. Web site: Rookie Tyrone back on deck with Knights. ROBERT. DILLON. 30 October 2017. 1 November 2017.
3. Web site: Lachlan Fitzgibbon re-signs with Knights - Zero Tackle. 6 September 2017. 6 September 2017.
4. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Mitch Barnett re-signs with Knights . Zero Tackle . 2017-03-05 . 2017-03-09.
5. Web site: Brendan Elliot signs with Gold Coast Titans - Zero Tackle. 13 October 2017.
6. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Jamie Buhrer joins Newcastle Knights . Zero Tackle . 2016-10-04 . 2016-10-12.
7. Web site: Newcastle Knights sign Shaun Kenny-Dowall . Zero Tackle . 2017-02-18 . 2017-06-27.
8. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Newcastle Knights re-sign Danny Levi . Zero Tackle . 2017-04-05 . 2017-04-21.
9. Web site: NRL 2017 contracts: Jaelen Feeney, Kelepi Tanginoa, Tyrone Phillips — Market Watch deals for 2018. 8 November 2017. 9 November 2017.
10. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Levi and Cogger extend contracts . Zero Tackle . 2015-08-27 . 2016-08-07 . 2015-12-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222152422/http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/levi-and-cogger-extend-contracts-18754/#5Sjw1bylQh6qDMhA.97 . dead .
11. Web site: Nathan Ross extends Newcastle contract . Zero Tackle . 2017-05-14 . 2017-07-05.
12. Web site: Dane Gagai signs with the Rabbitohs . Zero Tackle . 2017-04-14 . 2017-06-10.
13. Web site: Brown announces Melbourne trial squad. 2 February 2018. 9 March 2018.
14. Web site: Saifitis extend until 2020. NRL Digital. Media. 23 October 2017.
15. Web site: NRL 2017 contracts: Eddy Pettybourne, Jack Stockwell, Blake Green, Agnatius Paasi deals — Market Watch. 31 October 2017. 9 November 2017.
16. Web site: NRL Digital Media . Cory Denniss re-signs - Knights . Newcastleknights.com.au . 2016-11-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161123135854/http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2016/11/23/cory_denniss_re_sign.af_news.html . 2016-11-23 . dead .
17. Web site: Rory Kostjasyn announces retirement . Zero Tackle . 2017-07-25.
18. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Hodkinson to join Knights . Zero Tackle . 2015-07-06 . 2016-08-07.
19. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Huddersfield sign Jake Mamo after Knights release . Zero Tackle . 2016-08-28 . 2016-12-20.
20. Web site: Luke Yates re-signs with Knights - Zero Tackle. 27 September 2017. 27 September 2017.
21. Web site: Brown confirms Mataora retirement. 3 August 2017.
22. Web site: Gallery: 2018 pre-season kicks off. NRL Digital. Media. 1 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107031722/http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/01/gallery_2018_pre_sea.af_news.html. 7 November 2017. dead. dmy-all.
23. Web site: Peter Mata'utia signs with Leigh Centurions - Zero Tackle. 11 October 2017. 11 October 2017.
24. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . King extends tenure with Knights . Zero Tackle . 2016-07-28 . 2016-08-07.
25. Web site: NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership - 2017 Round 11 » League Unlimited. League Unlimited. 29 August 2017.
26. Web site: NewcastleKnights.com.au . Lamb secures contract extension . Zero Tackle . 2016-05-15 . 2016-09-08.
27. Web site: NRL Digital Media . Club statement: Jarrod Mullen - Knights . Newcastleknights.com.au . 2017-05-03.
28. Web site: NRL . Mata'utia brothers re-sign - Knights . Newcastleknights.com.au . 2016-08-07.
29. Web site: Hull FC sign NRL duo for 2018 - Zero Tackle. 1 August 2017. 2 August 2017.
30. Web site: Wakefield Trinity sign Pauli Pauli on one-year contract - Zero Tackle. 23 November 2017. 9 March 2018.
31. Web site: Tyler Randell signs with Wakefield . Zero Tackle . 2016-04-10 . 2017-07-24.
32. Web site: TEAMS: NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership - 2018 Round 1 » League Unlimited. League Unlimited. 12 March 2018.
33. Web site: Saulo joins honour roll of Knights greats. ROBERT. DILLON. 25 May 2016. 1 September 2017.
34. Web site: Korbin Sims joins the Broncos - Zero Tackle. 23 January 2017. 18 October 2017.
35. Web site: NRL Digital Media . Knights sign Ken Sio - Knights . Newcastleknights.com.au . 2016-11-01.
36. Web site: Newcastle's Josh Starling retires from NRL. 18 October 2017.
37. Web site: Titans throw Jack Stockwell a lifeline. ROBERT. DILLON. 8 November 2017. 9 November 2017.
38. Web site: Anthony Tupou announces retirement - Zero Tackle. 1 September 2017. 1 September 2017.
39. Web site: Tigers swoop on Wardle. 11 September 2017.
40. Web site: NRL Trial: Raiders v Knights. 16 January 2018. Austadiums.
41. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 1. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
42. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 2. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
43. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 3. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
44. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 4. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
45. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 5. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
46. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 6. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
47. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 7. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
48. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 8. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
49. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 9. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
50. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 10. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
51. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 11. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
52. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 13. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
53. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 14. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
54. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 16. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
55. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 17. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
56. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 18. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
57. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 19. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
58. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 20. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
59. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 21. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
60. Web site: NRL: Knights v Dragons. Austadiums. 21 January 2018.
61. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 22. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
62. Web site: Knights v Warriors. Austadiums. 21 January 2018.
63. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 23. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
64. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 24. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
65. Web site: Knights v Storm. Austadiums. 21 January 2018.
66. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 25. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
67. Web site: NRL 2017 - Round 26. Rugby League Project. 21 January 2018.
68. Web site: NRL: Knights v Sharks. Austadiums. 21 January 2018.
69. Web site: 2017 player stats.