Knights Forward McEwen Faces Driving Charges
Newcastle Knights’ promising young forward, Jermaine McEwen, has been formally charged by police with low-range drink-driving and driving with a suspended licence. The 21-year-old, who recently committed his future to the Knights by re-signing until the end of the 2028 season, is scheduled to appear before Newcastle Local Court on June 25.
McEwen, a former Panthers junior and a representative player for the NSW Under-19s team, relocated from western Sydney with his family and has become an integral part of the high-flying Newcastle Knights outfit. He is currently named in the squad for the Knights’ upcoming match against the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne this Friday.
The club has confirmed that McEwen reported the incident to them at the time it occurred. The Newcastle Knights subsequently informed the NRL integrity unit about the matter. A statement from the club indicated that a “thorough process continues to be undertaken by all parties required,” and that “Until due process is completed, the Newcastle Knights will not make any further comment.”
Since making his NRL debut last year, McEwen has featured in 28 top-grade games. His recent contract extension reflects his growing importance to the team. Coach Justin Holbrook had praised McEwen’s development, stating, “Jermaine continues to exceed our expectations this year. He has only just turned 21. His improvement this season, and the way he has played through the opening 10 rounds, has made him a very important part of our team. We are looking forward to watching Jermaine’s further improvement over the next couple of years and beyond.”
In a previous interview, McEwen shared personal details about his family’s decision to move from western Sydney, citing an incident where bricks were thrown through their home windows on Christmas Day several years ago, following a brawl at a junior league game. The Knights are currently sitting fourth on the ladder heading into round 14 and are aiming for their fifth consecutive victory against the Storm.
Moses’ Origin II Availability in Doubt Amidst Injury Concerns
Parramatta Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses is being rated as “touch and go” for State of Origin II, following his surprising omission from the team’s western Sydney derby clash against the Canterbury Bulldogs. Moses sustained a left hamstring injury during NSW Origin camp last Monday. While initial scans cleared him of serious damage, and Blues medical staff anticipated a full recovery in time for the Bulldogs match, the Eels’ club doctor has elected to rest him to allow for further recovery.
Eels coach Jason Ryles confirmed that there have been no fresh setbacks, but the decision was made to give Moses more time. This situation presents a dilemma for NSW coach Laurie Daley, who must now consider naming Moses in his squad knowing he will have gone a month without playing club football by the time Origin II kicks off on June 17. Moses’ last appearance for the Eels was at Magic Round. A positive note is that he completed a full week of training in Origin camp before the injury, and was replaced by Canberra’s Ethan Strange at five-eighth. The expectation will be for Moses to be fit and ready for the Blues’ first training session.
“I think he’ll be touch and go for Origin II, but it is another week and a half until the game; it’s probably a little bit worse than he first thought,” Ryles commented. “I wouldn’t have a problem [if he plays for NSW]. You’d rather have your players playing in Origin.”
The Blues will announce their team following the Eels and Bulldogs game. Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton is also facing an injury cloud. Crichton has been managing an AC joint issue with painkilling injections before and at halftime, but remains hopeful of featuring against Queensland in the upcoming fixture.
Other Team News and Injury Updates
In other team news, Manly Sea Eagles centre Tolu Koula has been named in the squad to face South Sydney at 4 Pines Park on Thursday night. The Sea Eagles sought and were granted an exemption from the mandatory 11-day concussion stand-down policy for Koula. The 23-year-old suffered a head injury in Origin I after a shoulder charge from Kalyn Ponga, which led to Ponga’s send-off and was a significant turning point in the match. Koula has been symptom-free since the incident, and the club is optimistic that cognitive testing and clearance from an independent NRL expert will allow him to play. He was originally scheduled to be rested for the previous week’s game against Cronulla, but a strong performance in a session before Origin II would likely secure his spot for the Blues.
Meanwhile, Ezra Mam has been dropped from the Brisbane Broncos side. Tom Duffy will partner Adam Reynolds in the halves for Saturday’s clash against the Gold Coast Titans.
Ponga Shines for Knights After Origin Setback
Kalyn Ponga has spoken about the mental fortitude required to bounce back from his State of Origin send-off, after leading the Newcastle Knights to a hard-fought 28-22 victory over the Parramatta Eels. Ponga received a fine for his grade-two shoulder charge on Tolu Koula in Origin I, but demonstrated resilience with a typically energetic performance at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Dylan Lucas was a standout for Newcastle, scoring two tries and proving a constant threat on the left edge. Fellow NSW Blue Jacob Saifiti was also instrumental in the win. The Knights, now with an 8-4 record, have secured their fourth consecutive victory, amassing 150 points in the process, and are positioned fourth on the ladder midway through the season.
“It was more mentally [demanding],” Ponga said when discussing backing up just three days after a challenging Origin experience. “Physically, I actually felt pretty good out there, which is a credit to our staff, the way they handled the last 48 hours. It’s all mental, like the build-up of Origin, obviously the way Origin unfolded, and then to sort of park it and mentally prepare for another game. I think now that I’m older, I’m probably better at doing it. But yeah, it’s all mental. I was excited to get back around the boys, around my teammates. Probably selfishly, I wanted to play with my mates. I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines. I wanted to be out there.”
The match saw both teams score two tries in the first half, with the Knights leading 12-10 at halftime. The Eels faced a difficult start to the second half when Newcastle’s bench hooker, Harrison Graham, broke through the defence to score. The game then entered a period of numerous handling errors from both sides.
Following the errors, Lucas scored his second try for the Knights, only for the Eels to respond through Jordan Samrani. Fletcher Hunt extended Newcastle’s lead, but Isaiah Iongi set up a tense finish with a try six minutes from fulltime. Parramatta coach Jason Ryles expressed his disappointment with his young side’s execution, particularly given the absence of several experienced players, including Mitchell Moses and Junior Paulo.
“It’s disappointing in the end,” Ryles stated. “[I] thought we tried really hard, the effort was there, we fought really hard, but unfortunately execution let us down. I reckon we left probably four tries out there that were genuine tries, so another week of lessons, and just little moments in games that are so important that are fundamental, which hurts, but it’s part of the journey, and we’ve just got to keep fighting hard and working hard to make sure we don’t let that happen. It is a very young side, but we’ve been really focused on what we can control, and that’s our best prep each week. They’re trying their hearts out, and they’re getting some lessons with the big boys, so it’s all part of it, but… we had a minibus bring our injured blokes up today, that’s kind of where we’re at. So to produce the effort and the fight that the boys did out there today, I’m really proud of them.”
Former Blues Star Connor Watson Signs with PNG Chiefs
Sydney Roosters utility player Connor Watson has become the third significant signing for the Papua New Guinea Chiefs. Watson is currently contracted with the Roosters for the upcoming season but has been granted permission to explore other opportunities. He has agreed to a two-year deal with the Chiefs starting from 2028, but is reportedly seeking a “gap year” at another NRL club for the next season.
Sources suggest that St George Illawarra is the most likely destination for this one-year arrangement, although other clubs have also expressed interest. The Chiefs’ chief executive, Lorna McPherson, recently hosted Watson and his partner in Port Moresby, providing them with an insight into the lifestyle, which apparently impressed them enough to commit to the franchise.
Watson joins Wests Tigers co-captain Jarome Luai and record-breaking South Sydney winger Alex Johnston as high-profile recruits for the Chiefs. This signifies a strong start for the franchise, which is anticipated to become a major player in the market when a significant number of star players become free agents on November 1. This list could include several Penrith Panthers stars, such as Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Brian To’o, Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny, and Isaiah Papali’i, should they not re-sign with the Panthers beforehand.
Watson offers versatility, capable of playing hooker and lock, and providing cover from the bench. The Chiefs also believe his leadership qualities are a valuable asset. The Dragons have reportedly held discussions with Watson, and he is expected to join a list of potential 2027 recruits that includes Scott Drinkwater, Keaon Koloamatangi, Luke Metcalf, and Phillip Sami.
Off the field, the Chiefs have made another key appointment, securing former NRL and Super League player Rhyse Martin as their football operations manager. Martin, who represented the Bulldogs, English clubs Leeds and Hull KR, and PNG in 18 Tests during his playing career, also captained the Kumuls.
“Rhyse has had an incredible career as a player, but he still has so much to offer the sport,” commented Chiefs general manager of football, Michael Chammas. “He has the trust of our coach Willie Peters from their time together at Hull KR and they will continue to work closely. Anyone who has ever met Rhyse will talk about the quality of person he is and how passionate he is about Papua New Guinea. The combination of those two things makes him such an important off-field signing.”
