Knights winger Dom Young has confirmed he wants to play for England at the Rugby League World Cup following his breakout NRL campaign.
One of Newcastle's few shining lights in 2022, Young finished the season in much the same fashion on Sunday.
The 200cm flyer scored two tries, one in each half, to give the Newcastle fans among the 16,808-strong crowd something to cheer about.
Much like most of their home games this season, there were few moments of joy for Knights supporters braving the wet and windy conditions at McDonald Jones Stadium as Cronulla claimed a 38-16 victory.
But Young continued his impressive form and after the game Knights coach Adam O'Brien said the 21-year-old had already "been picked in the England squad".
"He thoroughly deserves that," O'Brien said.
Young is eligible to play for both England and Jamaica, who are making their World Cup debut in the October tournament, but revealed he had settled on a decision.
"I want to play for England," Young told the Newcastle Herald. "I've had a few positive talks with [coach] Shaun Wane. That's the direction I want to go in and I'm hopeful I'll end up."
Young, who grew up in northern England but is part-Jamaican, had expressed a desire to represent the Caribbean nation alongside his brother, who plays in the English lower grades.
"That's why it was such a hard decision," Young said.
"To play with my brother is something I've not done before. It is really hard to turn the Jamaica opportunity down ... but I just felt like, at the end of the day, I was born in England, I am English.
"The opportunity to potentially win a World Cup, especially in front of friends and family, is pretty special."
With many of the club's former players watching on, Newcastle suffered their 10th loss at home and 18th overall this season on Sunday.
They end the year 14th, equal on points with the Titans and Warriors but placed between them on for and against.
The 2022 campaign has been dismal and at times, embarrassing, but Young is one of the few rays of light - and hope - for Knights fans heading into next year.
Young's double took his tally of tries to 14 this season, his second in the NRL after joining the club from Huddersfield in late 2020.
After making six NRL appearances last year, Young cemented his spot in the NRL side and on the right wing in 2022. He played 20 games. Only a few Newcastle players featured in more.
"When he first came out, he was a young school kid. His first summer was a real shock to him," O'Brien said.
"His second summer was a complete 180. He handled everything so much better. "He has been arguably our best performer in the backs."
O'Brien said he learned just how far Young had come along when the winger missed three consecutive games earlier this year.
"We missed him terribly," the coach said. "To look at a young bloke who was a school kid not that long ago ... and to really miss him in your team, that says a lot about him."
