Squads have today been announced for the nib Newcastle Knights' Touch side, set to take place in the inaugural NRL Touch Premiership.
Sixteen men and sixteen women will be part of the Knights representative sides and will play their first game before Round 16's clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday, June 30.
Each side has a variety of Newcastle and Hunter locals as well as players from the Central Coast.
Touch Football Australia CEO Steve Mitchell said there is some strong talent in the Knights teams.
"Emily Hennessey from the Knights women's team is phenomenal," Mitchell said.
"She debuted for Australia at the 2009 Trans-Tasman and has had three kids in between playing World Cups and Trans-Tasmans.
"She lives and breathes touch footy, being married to Dylan Hennessey, who is widely regarded as the best touch football player in the world.
"The Knights are also lucky enough to have Jess McCall, our current Australian women's captain who just led her team to victory at the open Trans-Tasman 2018 in Rotura this past weekend.
"While on the Knights men's team, there are also some really strong Australian players, including Alex Langbridge and Scott Bundy.
"Bundy made the open Trans-Tasman 2018 match-and-series winning try for the Aussies at the Trans-Tasman on Sunday."
The inaugural premiership, which is affiliated with six NRL teams, will consist of six rounds plus a final, and Queensland teams and NSW teams will compete against each other in separate pools, with winners progressing to the premiership final.
Touch games will be broadcast nationally, as a mix of live and delayed broadcasts with each game lasting 30 minutes.
