BETWEEN them, they've scored more tries, made more line-breaks and broken more tackles than any other pair of wingers in the NRL.
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They're also among the league's best metre-makers.
Knights duo Dominic Young and Greg Marzhew have had a season to remember in 2023, and there's no denying they're now two of game's premier flankers.
"To be at the top of the chain in regards to try-scoring and line-breaks and yardage, those guys are probably the best two wingers in the comp," Knights legend Ashley Gordon, the 1990 Dally M winger of the year, said of Young and Marzhew.
"Their accolades often come from scoring tries, but they're probably more valuable coming out of that tough area where everyone wants to bash you.
"They're doing that really, really well and getting us on the front foot, and I think the team really appreciates the effort they make.
"But I'm glad they're getting a bit of cream with the tries, because everyone loves scoring them."
To break Young and Marzhew's contributions down, between them they have scored 40 tries.
![Dom Young takes to the air against the Bulldogs. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Dom Young takes to the air against the Bulldogs. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/16d64763-417e-4707-9dde-7b63363e5957.jpg/r0_0_3808_2539_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Only Storm wingers Will Warbrick and Xavier Coates come close to that number with 32.
Sharks duo Ronaldo Mulitalo and Sione Katoa have bagged 30, Warriors flyers Marcelo Montoya and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak have 29 and Broncos regulars Selwyn Cobbo and Jesse Arthars have netted 27.
Individually, Young could finish as the top try-scorer, only two behind Dolphins ace Jamayne Isaako (23) but equal with Watene-Zelezniak and Alex Johnston.
Marzhew is seventh on the try-scoring list with 19.
In terms of run-metres, Marzhew averages 199m per game, the third-highest in the NRL this season behind Dylan Edwards (208m) and Brian To'o (205m). Young averages 147m, which is outside the top 50, but for overall metres he is ranked 19th.
![Marzhew takes a run against the Sharks. Picture by Peter Lorimer Marzhew takes a run against the Sharks. Picture by Peter Lorimer](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/df344247-f290-4c07-b8dc-5c16c4cbf481.JPG/r0_0_3888_2720_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Englishman has made 29 line-breaks in 2023, ranking him second only to Johnston (30). Marzhew is ranked sixth, having made 24.
Recently described by teammate Lachlan Fitzgibbon as "the hardest player in the NRL to tackle", Marzhew tops the tackle-breaks tally by an astonishing 25 more than any other player.
He has made 162 overall this year, well ahead of Dane Gagai who is ranked second (137) and Dylan Edwards (134) in third. Young sits 16th, having made 97.
Given his ability to bust a tackle, Marzhew's post-contact metres are also unsurprisingly high. On average, he makes 66m per game, the fourth-highest in the league.
Asked about Gordon's praise, Young, who in three years at the Knights has gone from a little-known teenage recruit to an English international and one of the NRL's most exciting players, said he was motivated to be among the best in his position.
"I always want to be the best at what I do," he said.
![Young at training. Picture by Simone De Peak Young at training. Picture by Simone De Peak](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/90e2405b-7d22-42b2-a1b9-29d6226333e5.jpg/r0_0_2048_1424_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Marzhew has done a really good job this year, and we've formed a pretty good partnership. I've really enjoyed playing with him.
"It's obviously nice to hear they're recognising our work.
"I definitely look back at it sometimes and think I've come a pretty long way from when I first come out here. I'm loving every minute of it."
Newcastle's wingers have proved a force in attack, but they are prone to making an error. Young has made 41 mistakes, the second most in the NRL. Marzhew has made less than 20, putting him outside the top-50 category.
Defensively, an area harder to compare between wingers given the nature of tries scored on the edges where there is often open space, Young and Marzhew hold up against their counterparts.
Young has an 80.6 per cent tackle-efficiency rate in 2023. He's made 54 tackles and missed 13. Marzhew's is 69.8 per cent, He's made 37 tackles and missed 16.
Gordon, who scored 15 tries for Newcastle in 1990 - then a club record for the most in a season, a record Young now jointly holds with Timana Tahu (2002) and Akuila Uate (2010) - hopes Young and Marzhew help the side deep into the finals.
"It's hard to find good wingers these days," he said.
"He's had a really good year [Young], both wingers really, and I think it comes off the back of how the team is playing.
"Obviously their attack is very good, and they're on the end of it. Hopefully we can continue the form.
"You never know where it can take you if you've got confidence like this."
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