2026 NRL Supercoach Preview: Newcastle Knights

Joel Johnston

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Fact Checked by Ryan Tucker

Last updated: Fri 16 Jan 2026 14:00

Joel Johnston 16 Jan 2026

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Trey Mooney is a must-own with high potential for Supercoach points.
Key value plays include Jermaine McEwen, with positional plays for Phoenix Crossland and Cody Hopwood.
Start strategically and avoid overloading with Knights players to manage risk.

Newcastle Knights. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

2026 NRL Supercoach Preview: Newcastle Knights

The Newcastle Knights were a mess for long stretches last season, but from a Supercoach point of view they keep giving us the same problem.

2026 NRL Supercoach Preview: Newcastle Knights
Why the Knights Matter in Supercoach 2026
Early Draw and What It Means
Must Have Supercoach Pick
Trey Mooney
Value Plays and Cash Generation Options
Jermaine McEwen
Phoenix Crossland
Cody Hopwood
Premium Temptations
Kalyn Ponga
Dylan Lucas
Players to Avoid Early
Sandon Smith
Fletcher Sharpe
How to Play the Knights in Supercoach 2026

They have names you trust, prices that look kind, and just enough upside to talk you into carrying three or four Knights before Round 1 even kicks off. The question is not whether the Knights can produce Supercoach points. It is whether you can pick the right Knights at the right time, without getting trapped by role uncertainty and the usual injury chaos.

With a new coach who is expected to lean into attack and a draw that goes home, away, home, away, home in the opening month, Newcastle are a genuine early-season watch.

Why the Knights Matter in Supercoach 2026

The Knights are the definition of a Supercoach team that can spike.

They are rarely priced like a top side, which means value is always there somewhere, but they also tend to run in patches. That makes them perfect for cash generation and early momentum, as long as you are disciplined and avoid guessing on players without clear roles.

Early Draw and What It Means

Newcastle’s first five matches are:

Cowboys at home
Sea Eagles away
Warriors at home
Bulldogs away
Raiders at home

It is a clean rhythm early, and if you believe the Knights improve even slightly as a football side, there is enough here to justify targeted exposure.

Must Have Supercoach Pick

Trey Mooney

This is the one Knights player that is non-negotiable.

Mooney is a must-own prospect with elite “base and power” and an engine that puts him in rare company for a young forward. The key point is simple, Newcastle lack quality through the middle and they did not bring him in to sit on the pine.

If he gets the minutes most people expect, he has the type of motor that can turn a mid-priced forward into a cash printing machine. This is a lock and load selection for Round 1 setups.

Value Plays and Cash Generation Options

Jermaine McEwen

If McEwen lands the Round 1 edge spot, he is right in the conversation as a genuine money-maker.

The appeal is role-based. Newcastle’s edges could be 80 minute roles and if McEwen is one of them, he does not need tries to be useful. His base work is praised heavily and at his price point, steady 55 to 60 type output makes him a strong early cash option.

The only hesitation is attacking shape. The Knights are expected to funnel a lot of ball down the left, which could cap his attacking stats, but that does not kill the pick if the minutes are there.

Phoenix Crossland

Crossland is not a slam dunk, but he is one of the more interesting cheap discussions.

The angle is positional. If he finds a role at lock or a big minute middle role instead of being stuck as a low output hooker, his scoring profile changes dramatically. At his price, he becomes playable if the role is right.

This one is a pure Round 1 team list watch.

Cody Hopwood

Hopwood is the classic cheapie watchlist.

The group clearly rates him long-term and the point was straightforward. Newcastle’s forward pack is not stacked, so opportunities can open quickly. If he is named in a role that gives him real minutes, he becomes a legitimate cash generation option.

If he is not named, you move on.

Premium Temptations

Kalyn Ponga

Ponga at his price is the exact kind of pick that pulls Supercoach players in every year.

The argument for him is pedigree. If he is fit and firing, he can be a genuine bargain amongst top 5 fullbacks heading into 2026. The argument against him is durability and uncertainty, with concerns raised about his ability to string together a full season and whether he is actually fully fit heading into Round 1.

If you start him, make sure you have protection and a pivot. If you do not start him, you can still jump on if he looks like the old Ponga again, even if the price rises.

Dylan Lucas

Lucas is elite. No one questions that.

The hesitation is simple. He is priced like a top tier second-rower and Newcastle already offer other value plays. If you are already on Mooney and thinking about McEwen, it gets hard to justify paying up for Lucas as well.

He is a safe pick, but he is also a commitment.

Players to Avoid Early

Sandon Smith

This is the clearest fade at the Knights.

The issue is value. If he is not goal-kicking, the scoring ceiling looks capped, and the price is awkward for a player moving into a worse team with more uncertainty around how the Knights attack actually functions.

If goal-kicking falls his way, the conversation changes. Without it, he is not a Round 1 priority.

Fletcher Sharpe

Respect the player but, not the price.

If he is a winger priced like an elite attacking option or our top 5 wingers heading into 2026, you are paying for a scenario that needs tries to hit. There is a world where he scores well and makes you regret it, but at that price point it is a bet on best-case usage.

Better to wait for a dip or a role change.

How to Play the Knights in Supercoach 2026

Newcastle are a team you can absolutely start with, but only if you keep it clean.

Start with Mooney. Consider McEwen if he is named to start on an edge with big minutes. Watch the team list for Crossland and Hopwood if roles open up.

Beyond that, resist the urge to stack Knights just because the prices look good. This is a club that can spike, but it is also a club that can burn you quickly if roles shift or injuries hit again.

Target them. Do not overload them.