How many Newcastle Knights players will be involved in the rugby league World Cup?

Dominic Young. Picture by Peter Lorimer

TOWERING winger Dominic Young shapes as the only Newcastle Knights player likely to be involved in the end-of-season World Cup tournament in England.

Young, the 21-year-old flyer recruited from Huddersfield two years ago, has been earmarked by England coach Shaun Wane after a standout NRL season, during which he scored 14 tries in 20 games.

Other than Young, the Knights are expected to be conspicuous by their absence during the World Cup, to be staged in the Old Dart between October 15 and November 19.

At the most recent edition of the World Cup, in 2017, Newcastle provided five players to various nations. In 2013, they had nine representatives and, in 2008, five Knights were involved.

It needs to be a personal decision.

- PETER PARR

Knights coach Adam O'Brien has stated numerous times this year that he believes a disrupted pre-season was a factor in his team's dramatic slide from seventh to 14, but director of football Peter Parr said no players had been discouraged from representing their nations of choice.

"It needs to be a personal decision," Parr told the Newcastle Herald. "I've never tried to talk anybody out of playing representative football, because I know how much it means to them.

"But if our players come to the decision that they're better off recovering from their niggling injuries and recuperating, and then setting themselves for a good pre-season, hopefully the Knights will benefit from that."

Injuries and form - or lack thereof - are set to leave Newcastle with a smaller World Cup contingent than every other NRL club.

Skipper Kalyn Ponga appeared Newcastle's lone candidate for the Australian squad following his man-of-the-match performance for Queensland in the State of Origin series decider, only to be stood down for the final six games of the regular season after suffering a spate of concussions.

Ponga was under consideration for a spot in the Prime Minister's XIII, who will take on Papua New Guinea at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, but contacted Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga two weeks ago to declare himself unavailable.

Ponga explained on the club's website that he wanted to focus on "nailing pre-season from the start, and I believe this decision is in the best interest of myself and the Knights".

Twin towers Jacob and Daniel Saifiti were both named in a preliminary Fiji squad but have also ruled themselves out.

Daniel endured a frustrating season, disrupted by a broken leg and knee injury that cost him selection in a fourth consecutive Origin series.

In Daniel's absence, Jacob made an impressive debut for NSW but has decided to rest knee and shoulder issues, rather than represent Fiji at a second successive World Cup.

Bradman Best considered making himself available for Wales but has since had second thoughts, after making only 14 appearances in an injury-plagued season.

David Klemmer, Dane Gagai and Tyson Frizell all helped Australia win the 2017 World Cup final against England.

Gagai, at the time, had effectively parted company with the Knights after signing for South Sydney, while Klemmer and Frizell were playing for Canterbury and St George Illawarra respectively. Five years on, all three would appear at long odds for a Kangaroo call-up.

Young admitted recently he agonised over whether to play alongside his brother in the Jamaican team, before declaring himself eligible for England.

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