In-form winger Greg Marzhew has agreed to a new contract which keeps him at the Knights for the next three seasons.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The former Titan, who Newcastle only signed late last year as part of a swap for former hooker Chris Randall, has been rewarded for his standout campaign with an upgraded and extended deal.
Marzhew, 26, was contracted until the end of the 2025 season but has extended his stay in the Hunter for an extra year.
The Knights offered Marzhew, who was on a cut-price deal, a beefed-up contract to ensure he remains in the red and blue.
The Auckland product has emerged as one of the form wingers this season.
Building on 15 tries in 25 games for the Gold Coast, Marzhew has scored 19 in as many appearances for the Knights.
He is also one of the game's best metre-eaters, averaging 198 run-metres per match, which is the fourth best in the league. He leads the competition for tackle-breaks, having made 162 overall, which is 25 more than any other player and an average of 8.5 per match.
It's been a stellar rise for the Kiwi, who was actually overlooked for selection in the first three rounds. Coach Adam O'Brien sought defensive improvements from his new recruit. Marzhew was also dropped for a game mid-season after failing to arrive to the team bus on time.
But after scoring a hat-trick in Newcastle's 29-10 win over South Sydney a fortnight ago, Marzhew credited O'Brien and his teammates for his development.
"It's all a credit to the boys who have backed me, especially Adam O'Brien, who has backed me hard," Marzhew said.
"I like tough love; I can deal with tough love.
"He has been 100 per cent honest with me with everything, so that has made it a lot easier to take on board his criticism.
"That tough love has really helped me and made me want to work hard.
"I feel like I have the potential to play good footy and under the right coach I feel like I can provide, and this year has kind of just showed that."
Knights football director Peter Parr said Marzhew had been a great addition to the club.
"Greg has been outstanding since joining the club and has established himself as one of the best wingers in the NRL," Parr said.
"He is still young in years and NRL games played, there is no doubt his game will continue to improve in the coming years.
"We look forward to watching his game develop further and we are grateful he has committed to the club."
MORE IN SPORT