Newcastle's faithful are buzzing about Hilton Chesterson. The young back-rower bolts through defensive lines, pops clever off-loads and crunches ball carriers, giving the Knights the punch they craved. Under Adam O'Brien and Kalyn Ponga, the Hunter club has found its new heart in the middle third.
Singleton born, Chesterson first stood out at Maitland Pickers, later securing a scholarship to St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. He joined the Knights pathway at sixteen and charged through SG Ball then NSW Cup. A viral moment arrived in a 2024 trial versus Cronulla when he smashed prop Braden Hamlin-Uele. By Round 3 of 2025 he was a first-grade regular, donning jersey 11 and playing 80 minutes.
Statistics back up the spectacle. He posts 102 metres, 35 tackles and a 93 percent efficiency every week, plus check here three busts. Four tries are on the board, one a dazzling 30-metre sprint versus Manly. Coach O'Brien calls him "a dream player". "He is raw, but the ceiling is sky high," the mentor added. His peers agree, saying his relentless engine drags training to new levels.
Away from games he is already adored. He donates time each week to Hunter Medical Research Institute programs for youth mental health. Long after the siren he still signs jerseys as "Chesto" echoes through McDonald Jones Stadium. Local sponsors love his clean-cut image, and a building-society ad with Chesterson and his cattle dog Rusty is everywhere this winter.
His management confirmed a new three-year deal keeping him in Newcastle until 2029. Securing young talent is critical as Newcastle hunt a first title in nearly 30 years. Supporters believe Chesterson could be the missing ingredient for a finals surge this September. Stay on this path and Chesterson will not only ride the next Knights title wave but embody it under Broadmeadow lights.