THEY were the best team in the NRLW last season, but coach Ron Griffiths admits the Newcastle Knights will need to be even better this year if they are to retain their crown.
The Knights kick off their title defence on Saturday when they host St George Illawarra at McDonald Jones Stadium, in the curtain-raiser before the men's fixture between Newcastle and Melbourne.
Griffiths had no doubt the overall standard of football in the new expanded competition would continue to improve.
"It's evolving extremely quick," he said.
"Every player in the NRLW could play and do a great job.
"From our perspective, we've evolved.
"Our metrics have improved. Our pre-season has been a little bit longer, so we've been able to get some more footy content in.
"And the thing with us is we set a standard last year and we didn't waver from that standard.
"This year we want to set a better standard, and the players are driving that.
"So I think we'll see an evolution in our team around the standards and how hard we work for each other."
Griffith said the Knights were determined to "start well and start fast" in their first game as defending champions.
"You work all through the pre-season to build some belief and confidence, and those early wins certainly help you solidify that," Griffiths said.
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