We always have an eye on the future.
Each week the nib Newcastle Knights will identify the best performers from the Canterbury Cup and Jersey Flegg competitions so the supporters can get a feel for who is consistently performing in the lower grades.
These are the players to keep an eye out for as they climb the ranks or knock on the door for a future NRL debut.
BEAU FERMOR
The 20 year old is proving to be a handy pickup for the Knights.
The star backrower produced a stunning first year at the club in 2018.
He was awarded Jersey Flegg player of the year and played Origin 20s for Queensland in their win against NSW last year.
Highlights: Knights v Mounties Round 3
This year, the talented forward had his first NRL pre-season and has hit the ground running in the Knights Canterbury Cup side.
Despite a loss against the Mounties on the weekend, Fermor had a standout performance.
He opened the scoring off the back of an impressive run and produced some solid plays with the ball.
PHOENIX CROSSLAND
Having trained in the pre-season alongside Mitchell Pearce, Crossland has learnt some effective moves in the halves.
The teenager, who has signed with the Knights until 2021, already has plenty of rep honours to his name... spending the past three years playing Origin for NSW in the 16s and 18s.
Still eligible for Jersey Flegg, the 18-year-old seems to have locked down the no. 6 in the Knights Canterbury Cup side this year.
Right edge shows promise for Knights
In what was a disappointing result, Crossland still managed to put out some solid form and even took an intercept in the 69th minute to race the length of the field for a try.
GRANT ANDERSON
This talented youngster is a local lad who played for the Charlestown Butcher Boys and has made his way through the Knights ranks.
From Harold Matts to SG Ball, the cunning fullback has progressed to the U20s this year and is looking the goods in the no. 1 spot.
Anderson featured prominently in the Jersey Fleggs close loss to the Raiders this weekend.
He created plenty of opportunities and almost played a hand in a match winning try, passing it out wide with just a minute on the clock, only for it to be called forward.
NESTA WATENE
A new name to the Knights, Watene has been a shining light in the forwards for the Jersey Flegg side this year.
The 19-year-old was signed to the Knights following an impressive season in QRL in 2018.
He was named man of the match in the U20s final for the Hastings-Deerings Colts.
Despite a loss on the weekend, Watene had an effective day in the middle. The youngster showcased an admirable effort in the no. 13, with some hard hits and effective tackling.
