It doesn't get any better than playing the Brisbane Broncos on a Friday night in front of a bumper home crowd.
That's the opinion of Knights bookend Willie Mason, who is pumped at the prospect of taking on the Broncos in a blockbuster Good Friday clash at Hunter Stadium.
Similar to Newcastle, Brisbane has had an inconsistent start to the 2014 season and Mason believes Friday's match is the perfect opportunity for his side to build some much needed form.
“It’s always a big game, but Friday night in Newcastle is always great," Mason said after training on Tuesday.
"There has not really been one standout team all year.
"Everyone has had their moments, so I think everyone is trying to get some consistency going in their year.
"And I think we are one of those teams and so are Brisbane.
"They are coming down here to take two points and we are trying to get them.”
Mason says the team has been boosted by the return of star five-eighth Jarrod Mullen, a player of vital importance given his potent kicking game and ability to organise.
"He is an integral part of the team," he says.
"He knows that and everybody that is a part of the team knows he is important.
"Dobbo (Michael Dobson) has done his best to hold his own there and I reckon he has done alright.
"But he is pretty hard to replace and it’s great to have him back, not just because he is a great player, but he is a great mate of mine.
"He is just so important to everyone."
Meanwhile, Mason said a group of players would be driving to Sydney on Wednesday to visit injured teammate Alex McKinnon.
"We’ve got a pretty short day tomorrow and about four or five of us are going down," he confirms.
"I’ve talked to him on the phone a couple of times, which was refreshing. It was a bit scary there for a few weeks, because everyone was just talking to him in past tense and it was getting a little bit sad.
"But just talking to him and hearing his voice and hearing that he is pretty happy, has been pretty soothing on everybody and I think it has relaxed the whole Club."
