Big guns, development players and multi-code talents for Knights' trial

Jeffries will take 14 players from last year's Knights' grand final-winning squad, including State of Origin quartet Tamika Upton (Queensland), Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Higgins and Caitlan Johnston-Green (NSW).

Gentle, who debuted in NRLW for Newcaste in 2022 before joining Canberra last season, is one of two players called up from the Knights' NSW Women's Premiership squad along with back-rower Fane Finau for the trial against the Raiders on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, who also plays NPLW Northern NSW for Charlestown Azzurri and is a talented rugby sevens player, has been included with Newcastle low on outside-backs.

Winger Tamerah Leati has suffered a major knee injury and looks set to be ruled out for the season.

Also in the casualty ward is prop Simone Karpani, who is nursing a foot complaint.

Development players Lilly-Ann White (fullback) and Evah McEwen (second row), who both played for NSW in the under-19 State of Origin on June 21, will also travel to Wagga Wagga with the team on Friday.

Prop Rima Butler and lock Viena Tinao were not included and will instead feature in the Knigthts' opening match of NSW Women's Premiership against the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday (2pm).

"The majority of the squad will go but if anyone analyses our squad we are top-heavy in middles, so I can't get enough game time for middle players - eight, 10, 13 - so unfortunately some will miss out," Jeffries told the Newcastle Herald before the squad was named on Tuesday.

"They'll have to go back and play Harvey Norman [NSW premiership]. That's part of our squad make-up this year. The middles will be quite accountable around their performances because there's too many, so they'll be on notice more than probably other positions.

"But there are some really good middles in this group that have been tried and true. Some are three-time premiership-winners in a row. But they understand that they've got to be honest with their actions and behaviours and performances to warrant their spots every week."

New recruits Grace Kukutai (second row) and Isabella Waterman (wing), who were signed after strong Super W seasons in New Zealand, are also in the squad.

Jeffries has taken the reins from back-to-back premiership-winning coach Ronald Griffiths, who stepped across to the Knights' NSW Cup side and this week announced he would be heading up the Warriors' NRLW squad from 2025, as Newcastle eye a threepeat of titles.

Some Knights players have already featured in two NSW Women's Premiership trial games and the focus of this weekend's outing will be to see what needs fine-tuning ahead of NRLW round one.

"It's not about flogging each other," Jeffries said.

"Yes, you want to be competitive but I'm not too concerned around the scoreline. I'm more concerned around some effort areas that we've talked about during the pre-season.

"Trials are trials, you need them but it's also to work out what you're good at and what you need to work on.

"We'll play 23 and there will be a few young ones there that should get plenty of time. I want them to play football."

Knights squad for NRLW trial match in Wagga Wagga:

1 Tamika Upton

2 Sheridan Gallagher

3 Shanice Parker

4 Abigail Roache

5 Isabella Waterman

6 Georgia Roche

7 Jesse Southwell

8 Tayla Predebon

9 Olivia Higgins

10 Caitlan Johnston-Green

11 Grace Kukutai

12 Yasmin Clydsdale

13 Hannah Southwell (c)

14 Nita Maynard

15 Kayla Romaniuk

16 Laishon Albert-Jones

17 Lilly-Ann White

18 Evie Jones

19 Evah McEwen

20 Jayde Herdegen

21 Jacinta Carter

22 Jess Gentle

23 Fane Finau