Star Newcastle recruit Trent Hodkinson is set to assume the Knights’ captaincy after being named as co-skipper alongside Jeremy Smith for the club’s final NRL trial against Canberra.
The Raiders accounted for the Knights 34-28 in Orange on Saturday night after leading 34-6 at halftime. New playmaker Aidan Sezer starred for the Raiders.
Hodkinson and Smith were named as skippers by new Knights coach Nathan Brown in the Blues’ State of Origin halfback’s first hitout for Newcastle in central western NSW.
The duo are likely to share the leadership role for 2016, taking over from Kurt Gidley, who is playing with Warrington in the Super League.
Jarrod Mullen appears to have slipped from reckoning in the captaincy stakes after being disciplined for drinking in late 2015 while injured. Mullen was stood down from Saturday’s trial against the Raiders as a result.