Out-of-sorts Saifiti needs to step up as Knights fight to save season

He calls a spade a spade and always tells it like it is.

And right now, the big front-rower would be the first to admit his form stinks.

On the nose enough for many Knights fans to have lost faith in him. They want the club's second highest-paid player dumped from the squad altogether.

For reasons not even he can put a finger on, Saifiti has lost his edge at a time in his career when he should be peaking.

A lack of mobility with and without the footy has become a big issue. So too his stamina. He was once a 60-minute player. Now he battles to get through 40 even with intensity levels down.

The former Blues Origin prop is at his dominant best when he's fired up and tearing into opposition defences. But there have been few signs of any real aggression. The perception is he is stuck in a comfort zone.

Coach Adam O'Brien tried to flick a switch by starting him against the Bulldogs last Sunday instead of bringing him off the bench. It had no effect. He made just 61 metres from nine runs in 35 minutes. Most telling was his meagre 15 post contact metres, even less than Jayden Brailey.

But now comes the crunch.

The loss of Kalyn Ponga for 12 weeks has suddenly turned up the heat on the rest of the squad. No more sitting back and relying on Ponga's brilliance to win games.

O'Brien need 17 players ready to bust their backsides and fight for every scrap in every minute of every game if they are to save their season.

Daniel Saifiti, and to a lesser extent his twin brother Jacob, have to be the leaders of that. If they take charge up front and set the standard, the others will follow.

We'll know soon enough if Daniel still has it in him to rise to the challenge.

Phoenix Crossland could not have done more off the bench against the Bulldogs to convince his coach he deserves a chance in the starting side at lock.

His versatility makes him the perfect bench player but the way he came on and lifted the intensity and led the defensive line suggests he could be even better value doing it from the kick-off.

The other string to Crossland's bow is he is the biggest kicker in the team and could be used at first receiver to fix one of the side's biggest flaws.

Kiwi Test prop Leo Thompson has been offered an upgraded four-year deal by the Knights and will become the first player at the club to be contracted beyond 2027 if he agrees to stay.

Currently, only three players - Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best and Jacob Saifiti - are signed for 2027.

But so highly regarded is Thompson, Knights officials want him in Newcastle until at least the end of 2028.

He is already signed for next season on a deal worth about $350,000 but that will be upgraded if he commits long term.

The Knights' concern will rise if Thompson opts to wait until November 1 to test the market, as there is no doubt rival clubs will come for him armed with bigger cheque books.

Kalyn Ponga took part in team contact sessions last week without the aid of painkillers and even put himself through a 30-minute goal-kicking session last Friday, two days before the Bulldogs game. It makes a mockery of the uninformed who took aim at the club, claiming he should never have played against the Dogs due to his hip pointer injury.

Newcastle's NSW Cup captain Tom Cant has come under the attention of rival NRL clubs, with the back-rower off contract at the end of the season.

Cant's agent has made the Knights aware of the interest elsewhere with the Cowboys among the clubs to have spoken to the East Maitland junior.

There were few highlights in the Knights' loss to the Bulldogs but bench replacement Phoenix Crossland stood out as one of the few players to provide any intensity and enthusiasm so picked up major points in Baz's Best player of the year competition.

Rd 7: Knights vs Bulldogs: 3 Phoenix Crossland 2 Kai Pearce-Paul 1 Dylan Lucas

Progress points: 8 Kalyn Ponga 6 Kai Pearce-Paul 5 Dane Gagai, Leo Thompson 4 Tyson Frizell 3 Phoenix Crossland, Adam Elliott 2 Enari Tuala, Greg Marzhew, Dylan Lucas 1 Bradman Best.