THE NEWCASTLE Knights have finally found a replacement No.7 for Andrew Johns - and they have a premiership to show for it.
Teenage sensation Jesse Southwell completed a mind-blowing rookie NRLW season by helping steer the Knights to a resounding 32-12 triumph over Parramatta in the grand final on Sunday.
In a performance befitting Johns, the eighth Immortal, Southwell scored a try, set up another and managed the game to perfection.
Skillful, strong, smart. There are not enough superlatives to describe the 17-year-old. Premiership-winner is the one she cherishes most.
"I'm just so happy to win with these girls," Southwell beamed after the game.
The Knights' maiden women's premiership - the club's first elite title since 2001 - followed Southwell's Commonwealth Games Gold medal with the Aussie women's sevens rugby side earlier this year.
It was that experience and constant encouragement and advice from Johns that gave Southwell the tools and confidence to produce on rugby league's biggest stage in front of 42,921 fans.
"Joey has been helping me throughout the competition," Southwell said. "He has been sending me messages and giving me heaps of tips on what to do; how to deal with certain situations. Kicking early and moving the opposition forwards around.
"Joey came into the sheds before the game and helped us out with a few things. My dad watched Joey while we were kids. Seeing someone like that talk to me and us as a team is very, very cool."
Southwell, who played junior rugby league for the Kotara Bears before excelling at soccer and rugby union, also had praise for former Knights pathways manager Garth Brennan.
"Someone else I can't credit enough is Garth Brennan," Southwell said. "He has given me tips on how to be a better half."
On Sunday night, Southwell's vision and a 20-metre cut-out pass for Yasmin Clydsdale to put winger Emmanita Paki over in the corner in the 22nd minute gave the Knights a 8-6 lead.
Six minutes later, she dug into the defensive line and held up a beautiful pass to send Romy Teitzel in beside the posts. When Southwell wasn't creating tries, she was kicking the ball in-goal to deliver repeat sets or muscling up in defence. The icing on the cake came three minutes from full-time when she dummied on the outside and powered through three defenders to crash over.
"Jesse has maturity beyond her years when it comes to football," coach Ron Griffiths said. "Away from the park she is a 17-year-old kid. On the park she has things in her game, you can't coach."
Parramatta coach Dean Widders was "astounded" at the way Southwell controlled the grand final.
"Her kicking game and game management. She kept finding ways to put us under pressure," Widders said. "It is astounding for a 17-year-old kid to be able to do that."
Jesse's older sister and Knight second-rower Hannah is recovering from a torn ACL and wasn't on the field on Sunday. But her influence has been crucial.
"I can't wait to see them out there running side by side again," Knights captain Millie Boyle said.
An Australian Jillaroos team will be named on Monday to play at the World Cup. Southwell's year could yet get even better.
