Newcastle Knights coach Justin Holbrook has delivered a definitive verdict on the positional future of young gun Fletcher Sharpe, emphatically ruling out a return to the wing as the club's spine combination for the 2026 NRL season takes shape.
Sharpe's Halves Battle Heats Up
Speaking to media at an all-club training session in Broadmeadow this week, Holbrook shut down any speculation of Sharpe shifting back to the flank. "No, he won't play on the wing," Holbrook stated. "He hasn't trained there at all and he won't train there."
This leaves the 21-year-old Cessnock product, now "completely unrestricted" and in full contact training after emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen and lacerated kidney in June 2025, squarely in a battle for a halves berth.
The puzzle involves several key pieces. Marquee off-season recruit Dylan Brown is locked in as one playmaker, while captain Kalyn Ponga remains the first-choice fullback, having shed the precautionary moon boot he wore before Christmas. This creates a direct contest between Sharpe, who started 2025 in the No.6 jersey before his injury, and recent signing Sandon Smith for the remaining playmaking role.
The Spine Juggling Act
Holbrook admitted the pre-season has involved significant experimentation, particularly with Ponga yet to return to full fitness. "It's a bit hard without Kalyn training, so we've got the luxury of obviously giving Sharpey a fair bit of time at fullback at the moment," Holbrook explained. "Once he comes back we'll juggle things around pretty quick and get it settled."
The coach outlined multiple potential configurations. One scenario sees Sharpe at five-eighth with Smith potentially playing dummy-half, a move that would allow incumbent Kiwi hooker Phoenix Crossland to shift to lock. Holbrook expressed confidence that Ponga, entering his ninth season with the club, will adapt seamlessly to whoever partners Brown. "He [Ponga] will be fine, the way he plays we've got no issue with who he plays with," he said.
Smith has spent much of the pre-season training in the halves alongside Brown, but Holbrook confirmed the former Bulldog will also get time at hooker as January progresses. "It will map itself out," Holbrook said of the final decision.
Ponga's Maroons Ambition and Club Unity
Meanwhile, Ponga has openly declared his desire to reclaim the Queensland Maroons' fullback jersey from Reece Walsh in 2026. "I definitely want to be back there, I definitely want that jersey," Ponga said, acknowledging the healthy rivalry with the Broncos star. "We've always sort of had this thing where we want to fight for that position."
The Knights' preparation included a unifying all-club session at Broadmeadow, bringing together over 200 players from NRL down to junior representatives. Holbrook praised the initiative, highlighting its importance for club culture. "It's great for our NRL players because they realise it's not that long ago they were 15 and wanted to be an NRL player," he remarked.
Newcastle's pre-season continues with trials against the St George Illawarra Dragons on February 7 and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on February 14, before their historic 2026 season opener in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium.
