Adam O’Brien has refused to decide to Fletcher Sharpe and Jack Cogger as Newcastle’s season-lengthy halves, indicating they should earn their spots on results.
Both Sharpe and Cogger had large character moments withinside the Knights’ season-establishing win over Wests Tigers on Friday, as a scrappy Newcastle got here from in the back of to win 10-8.
The Knights pair had been usually going to go into 2025 with a highlight on them, with the membership creating a highly-publicised play for Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown.
O’Brien made 8 separate modifications to his halves closing season, the usage of six exceptional combos because the membership completed sturdy to make the finals.
And the Knights teach stated he changed into now no longer afraid to observe a comparable method this season, if unconvinced the proper mixture were found.
“I recognise a lot’s been stated approximately it, and manifestly I want to get a few consistency there,” O’Brien stated.
“But there turns into a factor in time if, if we are now no longer performing, I make a call.
“My number-one process is to try to get as many wins for Newcastle. For our club, for our town, for our sponsors.
“So it is as much as men that get the jersey to carry out withinside the jersey.
“But proper now, they may be the halves subsequent week.”
Newcastle had taken Cogger and Phoenix Crossland into ultimate year’s finals as their halves, with Tyson Gamble coming off the bench.
Crossland has considering commenced this season at No.9, even as Gamble is getting better from a lower back damage and is hoping to be transferring higher through the give up of subsequent week.
Newcastle’s assault struggled at instances on Friday night, finishing at fifty three in keeping with cent for the primary half.But that changed into in large part in element to mistakes made through backs, in place of withinside the halves.
After trailing eight-zero at halftime, Sharpe scored the Knights’ first while he charged over from dummy-half.
Cogger then made a key damage from interior his very own give up withinside the lead as much as Newcastle’s decisive strive withinside the 10-eight win.
Friday marked the pair’s first regular-season recreation together, with 20-year-vintage Sharpe transferring to the halves withinside the pre-season after impressing withinside the backs ultimate season.
“Fletch is a competitor,” O’Brien stated.
“I’ve stated a heap of times. He’s a footy nut, he is been gambling it because he turned into 4 years old.
“He sees the game, he is intelligent, and he is handiest going to get better. He’s video games in withinside the halves.
“He positioned himself in a few conditions that have been without a doubt useful for the team. He would not run farfar from the challenge.”
