Newcastle Knights have snared St George Illawarra’s Kurt Mann for the next three seasons after the utility star was granted a release from his contract at the Dragons.
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The 25-year-old, who has played 90 NRL games with Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra, will formally sign a deal with the Knights today and could be at training as early as Tuesday.
He still had a season to run on his Dragons deal with an option for another year but the opportunity to shed the utility tag and turn himself into a full-time hooker is understood to have swayed his decision to seek to leave.
He has played in a variety of backline positions in the NRL since making his debut for the Storm back in 2014 but Knights coach Nathan Brown is looking to turn him into a hooking option at the club following the long-term injury to Kiwi international Slade Griffin.
Born in Winton in Queensland, Mann got his start in Newcastle with the Knights back in 2011 when he played for the club’s NYC Under 20’s team.
He represented Queensland Under 20’s against NSW in April, 2012 while at the Knights but signed a three year deal with the Storm two months later.
He played 28 NRL games with Melbourne in 2014-15 before playing a further 62 games with the Dragons over the past three seasons.
Mann’s signing leaves just one spot open on Newcastle’s 30-man playing roster for 2019 but the final position does not have to be filled until June 30 next year.
Brown intends to keep his options open on who that might be.
