Newcastle have signed premiership-winning utility Rory Kostjasyn from North Queensland on a two-year-contract.Kostjasyn, who plays mainly at hooker but can plug gaps at lock or in the halves, played 93 matches with the Cowboys, including their 2015 NRL grand final victory over Brisbane from the bench.Knights coach Nathan Brown said Kostjasyn, who began his NRL career at Melbourne , would work to help expedite the development of the wooden-spooners young squad.Rory joins the club after playing in two successful systems at the Storm and Cowboys, Brown said.He will provide strong leadership and be able to educate our young side.The 29-year-old, who hails from the NSW Central Coast, is the second experienced recruit to join the Knights in as many weeks following the signing of Jamie Buhrer.The club is also reportedly interested in luring Gold Coast forward Greg Bird.Kostjasyn played all 26 games for the Cowboys this season. Laken Tomlinson Super Bowl Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Jeff Wilson Super Bowl Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. https://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Marquise-Goodwin-Jersey/ . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. 49ers Super Bowl Jerseys .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Raheem Mostert Super Bowl Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. For 11 Sprint Cup Series teams, Sundays Michigan race is the calm before the storm. They are the 11 winners, all of which are positioned comfortably for Round 1 of the Chase, which begins in roughly three weeks.Its not as if the weekend is meaningless by any means, but the urgency doesnt exist for these 11 the way it does for Chris Buescher, the 12th winner on the list, and the only one at risk of not making the playoffs if the next three weeks go poorly.Because of this, Im confident Sundays winner comes from this list of previous winners, not because I cant envision Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon or Kyle Larson winning this year.I just cant envision them winning in the next three weeks.Assuming Buescher qualifies -- and I believe he will -- this leaves four Chase spots open. As they stand today Dillon, Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman control their own destiny and have a comfortable points cushion. I believe all four will qualify for NASCARs postseason.Which leads me back to the 11.Who among them should be considered the favorite?Kyle Busch.This team is, in my opinion, where the 48 team of Jimmie Johnson was a few years back.Busch began the season winning three of the first 11 races and finishing top-four in nine of those events.Its been a volatile summer run, but this team will light it up when it matters most.As defending champs, they have the wind in their sails, confidence to repeat.Top to bottom theres not a team stronger than the 18.Who has the most work to do?Johnson.I truly believe he will win a seventh title in the next four or five years, but its difficult to imagine it happening this year.Its been apparent for quite some time that Johnson has been carrying this car, meaning he works much harder than those that aare finishing ahead of him.dddddddddddd.Their two wins came early in the season while all teams were adjusting and acclimating to the new lower downforce package. The six-time champs talent weighed heavy in the February and March wins, but other teams passed him by in the evaluation of this new model.Talent isnt enough to overcome the deficit, and the risk for any driver experiencing this is the vulnerability of trying too hard, or over drivingWhen that happens, it compromises the ability to deliver productive, concise information of what the car does, or doesnt do.It can be a slippery slope if this happens.Johnson has led only 229 laps this season. We are used to seeing him do this in one race.These are tough times for the 48, but Johnson is a tough customer.No driver I have ever competed against puts the effort in to his job the way Johnson does, so while its obvious there is work to do, this driver will lead them back to glory.Who will be this seasons surprise ?Joey Logano.Not that Logano going into Miami with a shot at the title should surprise anyone, it simply hasnt been the season of authority we witnessed from the driver the second half of last season.Perhaps there was some hangover from last years exchange with Matt Kenseth that may have eaten away at Loganos confidence. If so, its becoming clear that he has regained whatever was missing, I believe he is poised to make a strong run against the Toyotas.The Bottom LineKevin Harvick said to me this week its all about momentum, referring to his win Sunday in Bristol.For roughly a dozen teams this weekend, thats what the Michigan race represents. ' ' '