Kalyn Ponga was awarded the Danny Buderus Medal on Wednesday night as Newcastle's Player of the Year.
The 20-year-old Knights recruit was praised by coach Nathan Brown for his consistency, workload and ability to handle the pressure of weekly NRL football in his first full season in the top grade.
"For a young guy, his consistency was the thing that impressed me most," Brown told newcastleknights.com.au.
"He had a good strong start to the year and probably until his injury, his form was reasonably consistent, which is tough for any player in their first full year. Especially in the position of fullback where the workload is so high.
"His ability to help us win games under pressure is another plus for a young guy.
"He wanted the ball when the game was on the line and those kinds of players are the ones that can help you get to where you need to get to at the end of the day."
Ponga wins Danny Buderus Medal