The former St George-Illawarra Dragons utility has been one of a throng players to change clubs during the first few weeks of the NRL pre-season, Mann linking with Newcaslte on a three-year deal where coach Nathan Brown plans on using the 25-year-old as a hooker.

Mann was used off the bench or as a backline option during his time at the Dragons and provided impact off the pine in St George’s 25-18 victory over the Raiders at Glen Willow in round 11 of 2018.

There’s a big chance Mann will get 80 minutes for his new club at Mudgee in 2019, with the Knights scheduled to play St George on May 19 at Glen Willow.

"We see Kurt as someone who can help fill some hooker void, obviously with the situation with Slade,” Brown said, the Knights losing Kiwi rake Slade Griffin with an ACL injury.

"He's started games in the NRL at fullback, winger, centre, five-eighth, he's played lock. He can play a lot of positions so he's a player that makes everyone's 17.”

Mann said returning to Newcastle – he played under 20s with the Knights before moving to Melbourne and then the Dragons – “wasn’t really a hard” decision.

He’s the second pre-season signing the Knights have made, following the huge acquisition of Australian prop David Klemmer.

“They’re building something special here and this is where it all started for me. I’ve got a lot of good memories and a lot of good friends here, which has made it easy. The transition hasn’t been hard at all,” Mann added.

Mann believes he returns to the Hunter are better player.

“I’ve learnt a lot of things, especially at a place like Melbourne, they’re a top quality organisation and you learn a lot of things there,” he said.

“Same as the Dragons, we played some finals footy there but the best is still ahead for the Knights with the squad they’ve built this year.

“I’ve been brought down here to have a crack at playing hooker and I’ll make a fair fist of that.”