Knights prop Jacob Saifiti says Newcastle are embracing a new form of pressure ahead of the 2024 season, that of expectation after the side's stunning run to last year's final series.
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Newcastle finished the 2023 regular season fifth as part of a 10-game winning streak that ended with a loss in week two of the playoffs.
It was the furthest point the club had reached since 2013, and a remarkable turnaround on their 14th-placed campaign in 2022.
But after how they excelled in the back of half of last season, breaking multiple club records in the process, expectations of the side have risen for 2024.
"We've talked about it," Saifiti said on Sunday.
"We are obviously expected to go a lot better this year given the run we had last year, but with that pressure we're taking it on.
"We're accepting that challenge and it's exciting.
"[Kalyn Ponga] is at the forefront of that, he's talked about it and we're not running away from it.
"We've got high expectations of ourselves, so it's exiting times ahead."
The TAB has listed the Knights as a $26 chance to win the premiership, the 11th favourite. They are $2.15 to make the top eight, but favoured to miss it at $1.62.
However with a healthy and arguably better squad, the Knights head into Thursday's season-opener against Canberra at McDonald Jones Stadium in a strong position. Jayden Brailey is the only NRL regular likely to be unavailable.
Newcastle have lost the likes of leading 2023 try-scorer Dominic Young, edge-forward Lachlan Fitzgibbon and back-up fullback Lachie Miller, but gained Jack Cogger, Tom Jenkins, Jed Cartwright, Kai Pearce-Paul and Will Pryce.
Multiple rookies have also filtered into the top-squad.
"It's definitely the most competitive it's been since I've been here," said Saifiti, who played the first of his 142 NRL games for the Knights back in 2016.
"The competition for spots is at an all-time high. The intensity at training has been up there with the best."
Multiple positional battles are set to be decided when Knights coach Adam O'Brien names a side on Tuesday to face the Raiders in the Thursday's 8pm fixture.
With Brailey sidelined Jack Cogger has firmed to play his first game for the club since 2018, after returning this pre-season following stints at Penrith, Huddersfield and Canterbury.
Saifiti himself is vying with his brother Daniel to start in the front row alongside New Zealand international Leo Thompson, but he also credited Jack Hetherington.
"All of us, including myself, would like to start ... but Jack Hetherington has been unreal," he said.
"Whoever does get the starting spot, deserves it."
