Newcastle Knights coach Justin Holbrook has poured cold water on any suggestion Fletcher Sharpe could be moved back to the wing in 2026, confirming the young playmaker is firmly in the mix for a spine role as the club juggles combinations ahead of the NRL trials and Las Vegas opener.
Sharpe, who is now completely unrestricted and training in full contact following last year’s emergency surgery, has not trained on the wing at all this pre-season and appears set to remain in the halves or at five-eighth despite previous experience out wide.
“No, he won’t play on the wing,” Holbrook told the Newcastle Herald during this week’s all-club training session at Broadmeadow.
“He hasn’t trained there at all and he won’t train there.”
The clear stance leaves Newcastle weighing up their playmaking options as they await the return of injured skipper Kalyn Ponga, who remains the club’s first-choice fullback but is yet to regain full fitness after dealing with a lingering foot issue.
Marquee recruit Dylan Brown is locked in as one playmaker for 2026, while Sharpe and recent signing Sandon Smith are battling for the other spine spots.
One scenario could see Sharpe lining up at five-eighth, with Smith potentially used as a dummy-half option.
Phoenix Crossland also remains a versatile piece in the puzzle, capable of shifting between hooker and lock, giving Holbrook further flexibility as combinations continue to evolve.
Ponga, who ditched his precautionary moon boot before Christmas, is still building towards full fitness but is expected to play a key role once he returns to the middle.
“It’s a bit hard without Kalyn training, so we’ve got the luxury of giving Sharpey a fair bit of time at fullback at the moment,” Holbrook said.
“But if Kalyn’s fit he’ll play there.”
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