Walking down the tunnel at the Sydney Football Stadium on Tuesday, Danny Buderus had all his footballing memories come flooding back.
There as part of his role as assistant coach of the Country Origin team, Buderus soaked up the iconic ground for the first time since his illustrious career ended in the semi-final against the Roosters last September.
That particular night may have started tragically when he was stretchered off the field with concussion after just 17 minutes, but on this occasion he returns to league's former home in much happier circumstances.
Smiling and loving the casual surroundings of Country camp, Buderus is pumped about taking on a coaching gig with a side that represents his country heritage.
"It’s great to be down here and get those butterflies in the stomach again now I’m not a player," grins Buderus, a proud Taree product.
"But it’s good to come in and meet all the new guys.
"A lot of those guys I haven’t met before, but now I've got my coaching hat on and I’m really looking forward to the week.
"I’ve got Trent Barrett there as coach, who has done it a few times before and I’ve known Baz for a long time.
"Then Blocker (Steve Roach) is there, so it will be a good week.
"I loved country camp as a player.
"It was always a lot more relaxed and you get to take it out to the country areas for all the fans that don’t get to see all the NRL players.
"That’s a big part of it as well, the stuff that we do off the field including the country fans out there."
In a stellar career spanning 13 seasons, Buderus played five games for the Country Origin side.
While he admits representing NSW or Australia comes with more fanfare, he says there is something unique about donning a jumper that means so much to the people from the bush.
"The Country is a big breeding ground for our game," he says.
"To represent where you come from, your family and the people that have had a lot to do with your career over a long time.
"Being a young kid and coming through the grades in Taree or West Wyalong or the Central Coast, it’s then a proud moment to put that country jersey on and run out and play the City boys.
"No doubt on a personal level for them they are thinking about Origin, but as a group and coaching staff we’ve got to make them believe in the jersey."
For Buderus, Sunday's Country versus City match-up is also an invaluable opportunity to take his emerging coaching career to another level.
"It’s all experience dealing with the best of the best in the playing group," says the Knights legend, who now works with the Club in a number of roles including coaching and corporate.
"You learn off those blokes and how they like to be coached and that’s about communicating a message I guess.
"Craig Fitzgibbon did this last year and he said it was a great experience and he is now helping out with Australia.
"So I’m really looking forward to the week and being a part of hopefully a good win on Sunday."
With Buderus on deck as a coach, there's no doubting the Country side will be very hard to beat.
