NEWCASTLE are poised to break new ground under coach Nathan Brown by appointing three captains to oversee the Knights’ 2016 rebuild following last season’s disastrous wooden spoon campaign.

Following plenty of off-season speculation surrounding just who will succeed long-serving skipper Kurt Gidley at the club, Brown will unveil his captains at the Knights’ season launch on Friday.

The Daily Telegraph has been told that rather than go with one skipper or two on-field leaders, which has been in vogue at some clubs including the likes of premiers North Queensland and the Sydney Roosters in recent seasons, the Knights are set to create an NRL first by sharing the duties between three senior players.

The frontrunners for the roles are new halfback recruit Trent Hodkinson, highly respected veteran forward Jeremy Smith and backrower Tariq Sims.

All three are part of a six-member senior leadership group at the club that also includes backrower Robbie Rochow, centre Dane Gagai and hooker Tyler Randell.

While Brown has given little away about his plans for the captaincy, he has publicly put it out there that he has been seriously considering making more than just one appointment.

“We may go with one or more than one,” he said last week.

“Because we have such a young squad, it will be what suits us in the short term. There are certainly some real good candidates there.”

Pointedly, Hodkinson and Smith shared the role in the club’s trial against Canberra in Orange last weekend while Sims, who will be sidelined for the opening five rounds of the premiership because of suspension, represented the Knights alongside Brown at the NRL’s season launch in Sydney on Wednesday.

The issue of leadership has been a central focus for Brown since he arrived at the club following the departure of several seasoned stars from last season.

In losing the likes of Gidley, Beau Scott, Chris Houston, Clint Newton and David Fa’alogo from the 2015 squad, the Knights have lost close to 1000 NRL game’s worth of experience.

It prompted the club to hire Ray McLean from Melbourne-based leadership and management consultancy firm Leading Teams Australia to work with the playing group on their leadership skills during the off-season.

It is understood McLean met with players individually as well as in a team environment and played a significant role in assisting Brown to identify the strongest leaders in the club.