Second-rower Sam made his NRL debut for the Knights in round one last year and went on to score two tries in 16 appearances.

Only 20, the forward impressed in his rookie season and earned a contract extension until the end of 2020 as well as selection for the Junior Kangaroos.

His father Rick spent nearly a decade in Newcastle, first as an assistant to Michael Hagan and then as head coach from 2009 to 2011. He then served on Wayne Bennett’s staff before taking the head coaching role again in 2015.

Now coaching Huddersfield in the English Super League, Stone has watched his son’s burgeoning NRL career from afar with pride.

“He had a good year,” Stone told Inside Sport.

“Because the Knights are a bit skinny on personnel he might have played a few more games than he might have if he was with a stronger side. But I think he acquitted himself fairly well when he got his chance.

“He was pretty chuffed with his season last year. He’s just signed an extension there last year to keep him there for another three years, which is good news for him.

“The club’s got some confidence that he can grow into a decent player in the next couple of years.”

Born on the Gold Coast, Sam Stone grew up in Newcastle and around the Knights club.

He played junior footy for local clubs Valentine and Lakes United, before joining the Knights system and starring for its Under-20s in 2016.

“Sam, he was lucky enough to get a bit of an inside look at the Knights, probably since he was nine,” Rick explained.

“Going into the dressing rooms, seeing some of the good players come through the system at Newcastle. Now he gets the chance to tread his own path a little bit. He wasn’t born in Newcastle but he’s been there since a pretty young age and he considers that his town.

"I like the idea that Novocastrians like to see their own play there. I’m sure he’ll get plenty of support when he plays. His mates and his family go out and see him play and they’re really proud of his achievements.”


Rick played for South Sydney in 1989 and then in country NSW with Nambucca Heads.

While Stone senior was a utility who swapped between lock, hooker and five-eighth, Stone junior is a strapping back-rower who stands 194cm tall and weighs in at 100 kilograms.

“He’s got a bit more height than me,” Rick said.

“Someone’s jumped the fence to give him that. He’s a back-rower who’s got some skill. He’s pretty intelligent, he knows the game pretty well, his defence is pretty sound.

“He’s got a good base of skill set on him and we’ll see where he gets to in the next couple of years, because the physicality is the main thing he’s got to get used. He’s got to put on a couple of kilos to be able to compete with some of the guys who have been doing it for a long time.”