Many experts have Nathan Brown's men down as premiership contenders: Triple M 's Mark Geyer believes 'questions will be asked' if the Knights don't finish in the top four.
This is despite Newcastle not reaching the playoffs since 2013 and collecting three consecutive wooden spoons from '15 to '17.
But an incredible recruitment drive over the past two years has seen the Novocastrians build one of the strongest rosters in the NRL.
The acquisitions of Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce last year helped the Knights to a respectable 11th place result, though they were still six wins adrift from eighth position.
There were plenty of positive takeaways, however, such as the rapid improvement of back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon.
Fullback Ponga and halfback Pearce both landed in the top five of the 2018 Dally M leaderboard despite missing chunks of the season with injury, highlighting how influential they were.
The playmaking pair will combine at the scrum-base in '19, with Ponga to follow in the footsteps of the great Darren Lockyer and transition from the No.1 to five-eighth.
Pearce and Ponga are now joined by a fleet of guns including international prop David Klemmer, Queensland Origin bookend Tim Glasby, powerful forward James Gavet, young centre Jesse Ramien, towering winger Edrick Lee and the versatile Kurt Mann.
Klemmer, Gavet and Glasby's signings, in particular, are exciting. Newcastle have sorely lacked dominance through the middle in recent times, and the damage that Ponga and Pearce could cause on the back of a rolling forward pack is a highlight reel compiler's dream.
The Knights' problem is no longer capability. It's whether they can withstand the pressure to perform after being void of expectation for so long.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS PRE-SEASON NEWS
Newcastle's off-season was seemingly an endless signing spree.
Jesse Ramien, Edrick Lee, Mason Lino, Zac Woolford, James Gavet, Tim Glasby, David Klemmer, Hymel Hunt and Kurt Mann were all 'Knighted' over the summer break.
Klemmer's arrival came after he secured a dramatic release from the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Luckless hooker Slade Griffin, who is recovering from a fourth ACL injury, is considered no chance to play in 2019. Newcastle all but confirmed this by appointing Griffin as the side's wrestling coach, though he is still included in their playing squad.
Danny Levi is expected to be given first shot at the dummy-half position, with newcomer Mann also an option.
Prop Jacob Saifiti broke his leg in December after falling awkwardly during a bar fight. Police cleared him of any wrongdoing but he was hit with a whopping $50,000 fine (25 per cent of his salary), half of it suspended, for his role in the incident. His 2019 is expected to be delayed as he recovers from the broken leg.
The punishment was part of a new hard-line stance on off-field indiscretions introduced by club CEO Phil Garder.
Connor Watson announced he will begin next season at fullback to accommodate Kalyn Ponga's move to five-eighth.
It is hoped the 20-year-old Ponga – who Sporting News named Australia's best athlete under 21 in 2018 – can orchestrate more of the Knights' attack from pivot and take on extra responsibility.
The switch is also predicted to benefit the athletic Watson, who excelled in the custodian's role during his junior career at the Sydney Roosters.
Ponga expanded his interests away from the field as well, launching his own clothing line 'Keep It Cool' – titled after his life motto which is tattooed on his arm.
Coach Nathan Brown bucked Newcastle's three-year trend of employing co-captains and made half Mitchell Pearce the lone skipper, after he shared the leadership with Jamie Buhrer in 2018.
Centre Tautau Moga was charged with common assault in January after allegedly slapping a cab driver on Boxing Day.
Moga will appear in Newcastle local court on March 21, a week before the Knights kick off their season.
PRE-SEASON TRIALS
February 23 – Knights 10 lost to Dragons 18
March 2 – Knights6 lost to Sharks 30
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS' 30-MAN NRL SQUAD
Newcastle have one spot remaining in their 30-man squad. They have until June 30 to fill the vacancy.
Apart from those listed below, the club has selected Beau Fermor, Brayden Musgrove and Phoenix Crossland as development players.
These players are not counted in the top squad but can play without exemption in the NRL after June 30.
Fringe first grade playmakers Brock Lamb and Jack Cogger are among those departing the Hunter region, while veteran forwards Chris Heighington and Jacob Lillyman have retired.
Below is Newcastle's 2019 NRL squad. The final player will be added to the list when he is confirmed.
| Player | Date of Birth | Height, weight | Position | NRL matches | Rep honours | |
| 1 | Aidan Guerra | 25/2/1988 | 191cm, 104kg | Second-row | 178 | Australia, Italy, Queensland |
| 2 | Brodie Jones | 7/5/1998 | 183cm, 103kg | Second-row | 0 | Nil |
| 3 | Connor Watson | 31/5/1996 | 174cm, 87kg | Fullback/Five-eighth | 53 | Country Origin |
| 4 | Daniel Saifiti | 1/5/1996 | 195cm, 121kg | Prop | 64 | Fiji |
| 5 | Danny Levi | 5/12/1995 | 177cm, 90kg | Hooker | 66 | New Zealand |
| 6 | David Klemmer | 22/12/1993 | 198cm, 116kg | Prop | 113 | Australia, NSW, City Origin, PMXIII |
| 7 | Edrick Lee | 19/9/1992 | 196cm, 100kg | Wing | 91 | Indigenous All Stars |
| 8 | Herman Ese'ese | 7/9/1994 | 186cm, 107kg | Prop | 54 | New Zealand, Samoa |
| 9 | Hymel Hunt | 14/11/1993 | 191cm, 99kg | Centre | 50 | Nil |
| 10 | Jacob Saifiti | 1/5/1996 | 195cm, 114kg | Prop | 47 | Fiji |
| 11 | James Gavet | 19/10/1989 | 189cm, 108kg | Prop | 56 | Samoa |
| 12 | Jamie Buhrer | 28/11/1989 | 181cm, 94kg | Second-row | 164 | NSW, City Origin |
| 13 | Jesse Ramien | 27/4/1997 | 184cm, 98kg | Centre | 21 | Nil |
| 14 | Josh King | 12/2/1995 | 187cm, 105kg | Prop | 40 | Nil |
| 15 | Kalyn Ponga | 30/3/1998 | 184cm, 92kg | Fullback/Five-eighth | 29 | Queensland, |
| 16 | Kurt Mann | 1/3/1993 | 184cm, 88kg | Utility | 88 | Nil |
| 17 | Lachlan Fitzgibbon | 5/1/1994 | 192cm, 107kg | Second-row | 41 | Nil |
| 18 | Mason Lino | 4/2/1994 | 175cm, 84kg | Halfback | 17 | Samoa |
| 19 | Mitch Barnett | 15/4/1994 | 187cm, 104kg | Lock | 56 | Nil |
| 20 | Mitchell Pearce (captain) | 7/4/1989 | 182cm, 91kg | Halfback | 253 | NSW, City Origin, NRL All Stars, PMXIII |
| 21 | Nathan Ross | 11/4/1988 | 181cm, 92kg | Wing | 60 | City Origin, |
| 22 | Pasami Saulo | 1/8/1998 | 190cm, 103kg | Prop | 3 | Nil |
| 23 | Sam Stone | 4/8/1997 | 194cm, 102kg | Second-row | 18 | Malta |
| 24 | Shaun Kenny-Dowall | 23/1/1988 | 194cm, 104kg | Wing | 254 | New Zealand, New Zealand Maori, NRL All Stars |
| 25 | Sione Mata'utia | 25/6/1996 | 183cm, 99kg | Second-row | 90 | Australia, Samoa |
| 26 | Slade Griffin | 16/1/1991 | 178cm, 94kg | Hooker | 41 | New Zealand |
| 27 | Tautau Moga | 6/12/1993 | 194cm, 109kg | Centre | 63 | Samoa |
| 28 | Tim Glasby | 27/4/1989 | 188cm, 106kg | Prop | 110 | Queensland |
| 29 | Zac Woolford | 9/8/1996 | 179cm, 90kg | Hooker | 0 | Nil |
| 30 | TBC | – | – | – | – |
COACH: Nathan Brown
Additions (players who weren't in 2018 top 30 squad): Jesse Ramien (Cronulla Sharks), Edrick Lee (Cronulla Sharks), Mason Lino (New Zealand Warriors), Zac Woolford (Canterbury Bulldogs), James Gavet (New Zealand Warriors), Tim Glasby (Melbourne Storm), David Klemmer (Canterbury Bulldogs), Hymel Hunt (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Kurt Mann (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Losses: Brock Lamb (Sydney Roosters), Chris Heighington (retired), Jacob Lillyman (retired), Jack Cogger (Canterbury Bulldogs), Nick Meaney (Canterbury Bulldogs), Ken Sio (Salford Red Devils), Cory Denniss (South Sydney Rabbitohs), JJ Collins (Canberra Raiders), Luke Yates (London Broncos), Pat Mata'utia (unsigned)
Re-signed: Jamie Buhrer (2019), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (2021), Josh King (2020), Sione Mata'utia (2021), Pasami Saulo (2020), Sam Stone (2020)
Off-contract beyond 2019: Jamie Buhrer, Slade Griffin, Hymel Hunt, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Zac Woolford
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS' BETTING ODDS
At $17 (via TAB as of 20/2/19), Newcastle are ninth in the betting to win the 2019 premiership. It would be the club's first title since 2001, when Andrew Johns inspired the Knights to victory.
After being edged for the 2018 Dally M Medal by just two votes, Kalyn Ponga is the $8 favourite to claim the award this season. Mitchell Pearce comes in tenth at $21.
Newcastle are $1.85 to make the top eight, $4.25 to lock down a top four finish and $26 to suffer the most losses for the year.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS' 2019 DRAW
Games played on
Thursday: 0
Friday: 6
Saturday: 12
Sunday: 6
Teams they play twice
Penrith Panthers, St George Illawarra Dragons, Manly Sea Eagles, Gold Coast Titans, Parramatta Eels, New Zealand Warriors, Canterbury Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue |
| 1 | Friday 15 March 6:00pm | Cronulla Sharks | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 2 | Saturday 23 March 5:30pm | Penrith Panthers | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 3 | Friday 29 March 6:00pm | Canberra Raiders | GIO Stadium |
| 4 | Sunday 7 April 6:10pm | St George Illawarra Dragons | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 5 | Saturday 13 April 5:30pm | Manly Sea Eagles | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 6 | Sunday 21 April 2:00pm | Gold Coast Titans | Cbus Super Stadium |
| 7 | Sunday 28 April 4:05pm | Parramatta Eels | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 8 | Sunday 5 May 2:00pm | New Zealand Warriors | Mt Smart Stadium |
| 9 | Saturday 11 May 3:00pm | Canterbury Bulldogs | Suncorp Stadium |
| 10 | Sunday 19 May 2:00pm | St George Illawarra Dragons | Glen Willow Oval |
| 11 | Friday 24 May 7:55pm | Sydney Roosters | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 12 | BYE | – | – |
| 13 | Friday 7 June 6:00pm | South Sydney Rabbitohs | ANZ Stadium |
| 14 | Saturday 15 June 3:00pm | Melbourne Storm | AAMI Park |
| 15 | Saturday 29 June 5:30pm | Brisbane Broncos | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 16 | Saturday 6 July 7:35pm | New Zealand Warriors | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 17 | Friday 12 July 7:55pm | Canterbury Bulldogs | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 18 | Saturday 20 July 3:00pm | Sydney Roosters | Sydney Cricket Ground |
| 19 | Friday 26 July 6:00pm | Wests Tigers | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 20 | Saturday 3 August 3:00pm | Manly Sea Eagles | Lottoland |
| 21 | Saturday 10 August 5:30pm | Parramatta Eels | Bankwest Stadium |
| 22 | Saturday 17 August 3:00pm | North Queensland Cowboys | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 23 | Saturday 24 August 5:30pm | Wests Tigers | Campbelltown Stadium |
| 24 | Saturday 31 August 3:00pm | Gold Coast Titans | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| 25 | Sunday 8 September 4:05pm | Penrith Panthers | Panthers Stadium |
It's a big year for...
David Klemmer.
It's lucky Klemmer has such a large frame because the hopes of an entire town have been thrust upon his shoulders.
The Australian front-rower was bought on big money to be the final piece of the jigsaw needed to form the Knights into an elite team.
Talk that Klemmer can equal the legendary feats of former Newcastle prop Paul 'Chief' Harragon has already begun.
Klemmer was somewhat sheltered from criticism at the Canterbury Bulldogs in recent years; he was the best player in a badly underperforming team and thus exempt from most scrutiny.
But the spotlight will be fixed on the 25-year-old this season and there will be nowhere to hide.
Now's the time for Klemmer to prove his true worth. He can do so by charging into the finals with the Knights.
David Klemmer will add some punch to the pack.
— Newcastle Knights (@NRLKnights) December 10, 2018
The new recruit made the second most post-contact metres of any forward with 1,650.
📝 https://t.co/jwGwY7yQhn #GoHardGoKnights #NRL pic.twitter.com/0mJwglha6N
MEMBERSHIP AND TICKETING
As of 16 February, the Knights had 17,552 members for the 2019 season.
Newcastle tallied 18,017 members in total last year.
Membership packages for 2019 can be viewed here.
General tickets are available here.
