TOOHEY'S NEWS: Ex-player's huge opinion of Knights new English teenage star plus more signing news

Not only that, both are here for the next three seasons.

The club's first pick-up back in August was Huddersfield 19-year-old, Dominic Young, a monster of a kid who can play centre or wing. Ex-Knight Aku Uate, who had a couple of seasons at Huddersfield, claims Young has plenty of potential.

Then came Thursday's news the Knights had also signed 18-year-old Castleford fullback Bailey Hodgson, the nephew of Canberra Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson.

Before signing him, Knights recruitment boss Clint Zammit had been watching Hodgson's development for more than 18 months and has huge wraps on him. Last month, he played fullback for Castleford in the Super League against Hull KR only 10 days after turning 18.

Zammit was on the Cowboys' recruitment staff before being poached by the Knights back in August and was planning to take Hodgson to Townsville before changing clubs.

He was then desperate to get him to Newcastle, even though the Knights had already committed to Young and had a pretty decent fullback already by the name of Kalyn Ponga.

Now, Zammit doesn't want to openly put pressure on Hodgson before he's even arrived in Newcastle by publicly signing his praises too much, which is fair enough.

But we managed to find someone who would. And his thoughts will leave Knights fans more than a little excited about what to expect from this highly talented youngster who is big enough at more than 90kgs to play in the centres.

Former Knights centre Pete Mata'utia, who has been at Castleford since mid-2018 and watched Hodgson's rise first hand, told us this about him when we contacted him:

"Bailes is a weapon and we're gutted he's leaving but no better place to go [than Newcastle] for a young fella," he said.

"He's been training with the first team since he was 16 in and out and did his first full pre-season this year and killed it. He would have been the club's long-term fullback.

"He reminds me of Ponga. Right now, he's tough, very strong with footwork as good as Ponga. He just needs to work on his lines right to left and his passing game which will come.

"My take on him is if he works hard and the Knights develop him well, he could be the best signing the club has made in a very long time."

And the kicker: "I'd feel comfortable with him there if Ponga was to leave."

That's a massive endorsement from someone that's watched Hodgson at close quarters.

Hard-working Knights hooker Chris Randall has earned himself another development deal with the club for next season after a break-through season this year in the absence of injured number nine Jayden Brailey.

Randall has been rewarded by coach Adam O'Brien after some lion-hearted efforts that included an NRL debut off the bench against Penrith where he made a mammoth 72 tackles.

He is one of five players currently tied to development deals at the club although the NRL is yet to decide how many will fall under the top tier salary cap or how many will be eligible to play in the top grade next season.

Jack Johns, the son and nephew of club legends Matty and Andrew Johns, returns to Newcastle after two years at South Sydney to strengthen the Knights' backrow depth.

The Knights have also signed teenage Lebanon international centre Jacob Kiraz, who turns 19 on Monday, and 111 kg 20-year-old prop Garrett Smith, who was on a Cowboys development contract last season but did now feature in the top grade.

Kiraz made his Test debut at just 17 for Lebanon off the bench in June last year against Fiji before being disqualified from the World Nines after one game later that season after it was discovered he hadn't turned 18 yet. Like Smith, Kiraz has been playing at North Queensland.

The Knights other development player, Christian Ma'anaima, is a 19-year-old middle who arrived in Newcastle from New Zealand as a 15-year-old.

He's been in the club's academy since then and signed a new three year deal back in August.

Controversial ex-Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold's part-time advisory role with the Knights won't just be as a support and sounding board for head coach Adam O'Brien.

We now understand he will also be given a mentoring role to coach the club's other coaches.

For the first time in Knights history, every coach in the club will be fulltime next season. Along with NRL assistants Willie Peters, Rory Kostjasyn and Eric Smith, Andrew Ryan has been brought on fulltime alongside Scott Dureau and there will be one further pathways coaching appointment.

Seibold will have a hands-on role with those coaches.

Big Edrick Lee's wonderful Origin debut for the Maroons in Wednesday's decider came at the end of a really tough season for the Knights winger.

Everyone knows of his broken arm dramas but what few outside the club are aware of is he lost his mother suddenly to illness just before the finals series. She would have been enormously proud of her son the other night.

Still on Origin, Knights prop Daniel Saifiti must have been very close to winning the Blues' man of the series honour that went to halfback Nathan Cleary.

There is still a chance playmaker Mason Lino could feature for the Knights next season despite not being offered a top 30 contract.

We've been told Lino is still in Newcastle and could play NSW Cup next season if another opportunity in the NRL doesn't come up.

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