The future continues to look bright for the Newcastle Knights, following the dual signings of siblings Daniel and Jacob Saifiti.
Dubbed the “Twin Towers”, in reference to their imposing 195cm heights, the pair extended their respective contracts with the club.
Jacob inked a new two-year deal, while Daniel will remain a Knight until at least the end of the 2026 season.
It also represents a major coup for the Hunter-based organisation, who’ll face the Melbourne Storm this weekend.
Debuting side-by-side in round one of 2016, the Saifiti brothers established themselves as highly-regarded players, with them now boasting more than 200 games of combined NRL experience.
In that time, the duo made their international debut representing Fiji, while Daniel has become the Knights’ pack leader and a key figure in Brad Fittler’s NSW Origin side, lifting the shield in 2019 and 2021.
Jacob has been among Newcastle’s best forwards in 2021 and was rewarded with inclusion in Fittler’s Emerging Blues squad prior to the start of the season following a strong 2020.
Head coach Adam O’Brien said it was incredibly important to secure the brothers long-term.
“From the moment I arrived in Newcastle, I saw two young blokes who work really hard and are hungry to constantly improve themselves,” he explained.
“After a tough start to their NRL careers, it would have been easy for them to be beaten down.
“However, they chose to dig in and do all they could on and off the field to be better and that shows in what kind of players they’ve become.
“Daniel is one of the most elite front-rowers in the game and an important member of our leadership group.
“He has a strong physical presence and leads with actions.
“Jacob is always really hungry to improve and is very much his own man.
“He’s determined to set his own path and is always after continual improvement.
“His team-first actions lead the way among the squad every week.
“With both men recommitting, it’s great for the current squad and we can continue to build our club around them.”
With his future now sorted for the foreseeable future, Daniel said he was proud to continue building towards success alongside his brother.
“Jacob and I have been playing together since we were eight years old, so it’s great to secure this new deal alongside him,” he added.
“I’ve been really lucky to play at the highest level, but I rate captaining this club as my highest achievement.
“I’m really happy with the direction the Knights are going and I’m keen to be a part of it.”
Locked in until at least the end of 2024, Jacob stated he was confident the new contract will see both him and the team lift to the next level.
“It means the world to re-sign with this club,” he said.
“Early on there wasn’t too much success, but we’re seeing the better side of things now.
“I’m glad the club’s put its faith in me to be a part of it.”
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