Cutting edge: Knights revel in Sharpe's try scoring talent

He calls fellow Cessnock Goannas junior Andrew Johns an inspiration and an idol.

His coach Adam O'Brien calls him a "footy player" and natural sportsman in the same mould as Cameron Munster. His captain Kalyn Ponga calls him "a gun".

Knights fans call Fletcher Sharpe their latest home-town hero after the 20-year-old flyer scored four tries in Newcastle's 34-18 victory over Wests Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.

In just his second NRL start on the wing, and seventh overall, Sharpe matched Johns, Adam MacDougall, Darren Albert, Aku Uate, James McManus and Cooper Vuna as a four-time tryscorer for the Knights. Edrick Lee holds the club's single-game record of five.

"Footy's a funny game and things can happen that you're not expecting, but if you put yourself into a position to receive the ball, things generally can come your way," Sharpe told reporters.

"To have my name alongside names like that, it's something every special, and something you'll remember and have with you for the rest of your life.

"It's obviously a great feeling. I put myself in the picture and I've got great players inside me, and they find me the ball.

"I just found myself in the right area tonight. I got a bit of luck on half-time there, just competing on the ball, but it went well."

Sharpe was referring to the freakish lead-up to his third try, scored seconds before half-time.

Ponga spilled a pass on to his knee, but in the same stride kicked ahead for Sharpe, who booted the ball in-field with his right foot just inside the touch-line then regathered his own kick to score.

"Both of them were planned. It was a set move," Ponga laughed, recalling the play.

Later, as Sharpe answered questions from reporters in the corridor outside the Newcastle dressing-room, Ponga walked past him saying: "He's a gun. He's a gun."

"As 'Adzy' (O'Brien) spoke about, he's just a footy player," Ponga said.

"He's talented, he's humble, he works hard, he loves the jersey and loves being around the boys, and we love having him.

"He's obviously scored those tries, and they're the highlights for him, but it's those in-between moments, those moments where he just pops up out of nowhere.

"He's in there taking carries, and that's the moments that we love, and that's why we love him, and off the back of all those, he gets tries."

Ponga threw a harbour-bridge pass for the second of Sharpe's tries, Tyson Gamble chip-kicked for the first, and right-edge centre partner Dane Gagai stepped and swerved before flicking an off-load for the fourth, 15 minutes into the second half.

Playing fullback in place of Ponga, Sharpe scored a try on debut against the Storm in Melbourne on June 9 and backed up with another against the Panthers in Newcastle a week later.

Though four is his NRL high, his personal best was a six in a 76-0 victory over the Dragons in an SG Ball game at Raymond Terrace in April, 2022.

Sharpe, who spent most of his junior career playing in the halves, switched to fullback when he joined the Knights' SG Ball squad two years ago.

He was Newcastle's SG Ball Players' Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023, then was included in the club's NRL top 30 at the start of this year and is now contracted until the end of 2026.

"I've said it a heap of times, he's a footy player, isn't he," O'Brien said.

"I don't think he's aware of what number he's got on his back.

"He's just out there and nothing fazes him ... He scores four tries and you can tell by his celebrations after, there's just nothing. He's just so casual.

"We're proud of him. He adds a bit of pace out wide and can finish off some stuff that these guys are doing on the inside of him, and he's tough.

"He's everything that we want to be. He loves this club and loves the jersey."

Because of his natural sporting ability, Sharpe reminds O'Brien of Munster, who he coached at Melbourne while serving his apprenticeship under Craig Bellamy.

"He's a real old-school footy player, he just loves playing sport," O'Brien said.

"They tell me he's good at cricket. He's like that Munster type - just good at all sports.

"He won't lose any hunger, so naturally he'll get better over the years."

Sharpe, who turned 20 in May, still lives at home with his parents in Cessnock, and travels back and forth to Newcastle for training and games.

He supports his beloved Goannas whenever he can, and wears a pair of the club's "budgie smugglers" under his Knights shorts every time he takes the field as a "little superstition".

Sharpe's next assignment will be against the fourth-placed Sharks at PointsBet Stadium next Sunday.

"I've just been trying to put my best foot forward and earn a spot in the 17 every week, whatever that position is, I'm just happy to be in the 17 and keep doing my bit for the team," he said.

"I'm really enjoying the ride, just trying to keep learning, because I've only played a handful of games. I'm just loving getting into work every day and trying to develop my game."