Dylan Brown finished last year with a bang and all eyes will upon him in his first hit-out for Newcastle in the No.6 jersey under new coach Justin Holbrook.
The 25-year-old rocked the NRL player market when he signed a $13 million deal across 10 years to join the Knights from Parramatta.
He was a major factor in New Zealand's march to the Pacific Cup title in 2025, and the Knights faithful will be hoping he can inspire a return to the glory days and justify the club's huge investment.
The Knights and Canterbury have named near full-strength teams for Saturday afternoon's second match of what is an NRL Pre-Season Challenge double-header at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Knights captain Kalyn Ponga, who won't play in the match, said Brown had already made a positive impression.
"He's settled in quite smoothly, to be honest," Ponga told AAP.
"He's brought that confidence from the international games. He's a very laid-back sort of person, but he competes hard on everything.
"It's easy to see, he's a classy player. We've just enjoyed having that class day-to-day around our facility, for sure."
Gold Coast will unleash 19-year-old tearaway Cooper Bai in a starting jersey for the first time, less than a week after he spurned Melbourne to sign an extension through until the end of 2028.
Bai will play at lock for the Titans against the Dolphins at Kayo Stadium on Thursday night. The Titans will also give new signing Lachlan Ilias a crack at No.6 in a halves partnership with highly rated young gun Zane Harrison.
The Dolphins' line-up will feature the return of Queensland forwards Tom Gilbert and Tom Flegler from long injury layoffs. New recruits Selwyn Cobbo, Brad Schneider and Morgan Knowles also start in a red-hot outfit.
Melbourne fans get their first look at new signings Davvy Moale and Jack Hetherington in the front-row positions against Canberra at Seiffert Oval on Friday night, as the Storm embark on life after the departed Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
On the same evening in Mackay, former Canterbury rake Reed Mahoney debuts for North Queensland against Penrith.
The Cowboys will also start star prop Jason Taumalolo as he aims to begin 2026 with a bang after an injury-interrupted season last year.
Manly will get a taste of what their future long-term halves pairing might look like when young guns Onitoni Large and Joey Walsh pair up against the Warriors in Napier on Saturday.
It will be a memorable return to Wests Tigers colours for former Brisbane playmaker Jock Madden when he captains the side at halfback against Sydney Roosters in the first match in Newcastle.
In Wollongong on Saturday evening, St George Illawarra give Daniel Atkinson first crack at the No.7 jersey against South Sydney after his arrival from Cronulla.
Kyle Flanagan, who played halfback for most of last year, will partner him at five-eighth.
In Sunday's only match, the main attraction will be the club debut of new Parramatta playmaker Jonah Pezet at halfback against Cronulla at Henson Park.
Pezet left Melbourne to join the Eels on a one-year deal, but will link with Brisbane next season as the retiring Adam Reynolds' replacement.
