When Newcastle were sailing into the finals last season off the back of a stunning run of wins that saw them pile on the points almost at will, Kalyn Ponga was gaining most of the plaudits as he surged to a surprise Dally M Medal win.
However, the Knights’ unsung heroes of Jackson Hastings and Tyson Gamble were also a massive part of the team’s success and were thriving away from the spotlight in the Hunter while pushing each other onto greater heights.
Jackson Hastings relishing Newcastle halves battle as Knights boss Adam O’Brien faces tough selection choice
"When I first signed at Newcastle, KP was going to be the six," Hastings told Ebbs and Flows.
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"But he hurt his calf last pre-season and when he went down - I don’t want to put GST on it but it was for six weeks - so me and Tyson got those six weeks together.
"The moment I stood on the field with him, I knew I was going to get effort, defence and competitiveness and he’ll chase kicks – do all of the hard s**t.
"Then, after four weeks, when we were having spine meetings, he was running those meetings."
The Knights struggled during the first half of the season to string any sort of consistency or victories together though in the absence of Ponga.
Yet when he returned and was reverted to the fullback spot after a heavy concussion had ended his experiment at five-eighth, Adam O’Brien’s side began to build into the campaign.
Hastings and Gamble were paired together in the halves with the duo providing the perfect platform for Ponga to cause terror predominantly out on the left edge along with Bradman Best and Greg Marzhew.
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"People look at Tyson and he has a mullet and he’s out there but he’s a very smart and intelligent footy player," Hastings said.
"With [Blake] Green overseeing our attack, he developed tempo. He threw three or four peaches to Dom Young last year.
"He’d go out the back of shape, play direct, the line would collapse, and he’d throw a 15 metre long ball over to the winger.
"His kicking game is more than sound – he’s a real good kicker of the football.
"If you add those two things along with his competitive nature and his defence…at Brisbane he was part-time but he’s a genuine six in the NRL now. There’s no mistake about it."
After debuting for the Wests Tigers in 2018, Gamble struggled to establish himself as a regular in first grade after he moved then moved to Red Hill for a three-year stay at the Broncos.
He made 24 appearances in the NRL during this period before accumulating the same number of matches last year alone at Newcastle, with his relationship with Hastings proving fruitful for both men.
"Me and Tyson are quite competitive," Hastings said.
"Last year, we were winning games by 40 but then going to training on Tuesday and then it was like ‘me and you are going at it’.
"We didn’t say that, but he’d put on a great play…and then my whole game was to get him back. It brought out the best in both of us."
Despite the pair complimenting each other so well last season, along with the input of Adam Clune, they aren’t guaranteed to start together in 2024.
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The addition of premiership winner Jack Cogger into the mix has now complicated matters with the former Penrith player pressing his claims for a starting spot with some impressive form during the trials.
"Cogs has brought another dimension," Hastings told Ebbs and Flows.
"He can play six and seven and can mix his game up really well.
"Everyone talks about the grand final, but I look at the games before that when he had to jump in and play seven or when Jarome dominates the game and you have to play second fiddle on some of those long shapes, he’s good out the back of that second layer too.
"He’s taught me a fair bit. He’s had to learn out system, but he’s also brought what he learned from Penrith which is a pretty good breeding ground for halves."
Hastings’ 22 appearances were the most he had managed in the NRL ever since making his debut in the competition in 2014 with the Sydney Roosters.
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Yet he struggled with injury at the backend of the year and has acknowledged he has a fight on his hands to retain his jersey with English recruit Will Pryce also impressing since his move Down Under.
"The halves battle is well and truly on for all of us," Hastings stated.
"The best thing about that is we’re all accountable. We all have to get along first and foremost but put the best interests of the team first.
"It’s bringing out the best in not only us but the team. So, it’s going to be interesting to see which way it goes."
