EIGHT first-grade regulars will return for the Newcastle Knights in the club's second and final trial against Parramatta at Gosford on Friday.
Knights coach Adam O'Brien has named a 26-man squad for the 5.55pm clash with last year's grand finalists.
As expected skipper Kalyn Ponga will wear the No.6 for his first outing alongside new halfback Jackson Hastings.
Back-line stars Bradman Best, Dane Gagai and Dominic Young will start their first games of the year, while Lachlan Miller gets his first run in a Knights jersey at fullback.
Tyson Frizell returns in the back-row while new forward Adam Elliott will come off the bench, as will Leo Thompson who played in the All Stars match on Saturday.
New prop Jack Hethrington hasn't been named to take part in the game, throwing a question mark over his fitness to play in the season-opener on March 3.
Newcastle's 26-man team
1 Lachlan Miller
2 Gregory Marzhew
3 Dane Gagai
4 Bradman Best
5 Dominic Young
6 Kalyn Ponga (c)
7 Jackson Hastings
8 Daniel Saifiti
9 Jayden Brailey (c)
10 Jacob Saifiti
11 Tyson Frizell
12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
13 Kurt Mann
14 Phoenix Crossland
15 Leo Thompson
16 Adam Elliott
17 Jack Johns
18 Tyson Gamble
19 Hymel Hunt
20 Krystian Mapapalangi
21 Bailey Hodgson
22 Brodie Jones
23 Dylan Lucas
24 Adam Clune
25 Thomas Cant
26 Oryn Keeley
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