The nib Newcastle Knights are blessed with options for 2019.
In the lead-up to the new season, newcastleknights.com.au will look over the depth of the Club and break down the positional options at the disposal of coach Nathan Brown.
This week we take a look at the hooker possibilities.
Danny Levi
What do the boys want for Christmas?
With the injury to Slade Griffin, Levi looks like he'll be the first-choice hooker to start the year.
He's a New Zealand international and a livewire out of dummy half.
He has the ability to change the tempo of a game and with the inclusion of some big forwards over the off-season, look for Levi to run a bit more.
He's still only 23 so his best years are still ahead of him.
Kurt Mann
Kurt Mann arrives at the Club with expectations from the coaching staff to evolve his game.
Never in his career has Mann played hooker but Nathan Brown believes he can succeed in the dummy-half role.
He was a 'Mr Fix-it' for both Melbourne and St George Illawarra, as he could easily slot into any position in the backline.
Mann is focused on knuckling down over the pre-season and will be trying to make the hooker position his own while Slade Griffin is injured.
Zac Woolford
He's been knocking on the door to make his NRL debut for a couple of years now.
He's signed with the Knights for the 2019 season from the Bulldogs and is looking to push for a spot in the final 17 with Slade Griffin expected to miss a large chunk of the year.
He's the son of Raiders legend and ex-Knights ISP coach Simon Woolford who was also a hardworking hooker.
He's putting in the work at training and will be looking to impress during the trials.
Jamie Buhrer
The 29-year-old is as versatile as they come.
He has played almost every position in the NRL and has spent plenty of time at rake.
A dependable player who makes his tackles, Buhrer could find sharing the hooking position should Nathan Brown want to bring one of the younger No.9s on later in the game to spark the attack.
Slade Griffin
What a heartbreaking 2018 for Slade Griffin.
He was one of the Knights best in the early stages of the year before he went down with an ACL injury.
Prior to his injury, Griffin made his international debut for New Zealand in the Denver Test.
He was one of the league's best defenders prior to the injury, making 597 tackles in just 16 games.
Fingers are crossed that Griffin can return before the year is finished.
Mason Lino
A playmaker who joined from the Warriors, Lino is explosive and creative.
While he isn't a known hooker, his craftiness could see him become an option for the hooking role should coach Brown need.
Luke Huth
The Jersey Flegg No.9 has been training with the NRL squad over the pre-season.
An Australian Schoolboys representative last year, the crafty No.9 is still eligible for the 20s competition in 2019.
