As the Newcastle Knights prepare for Saturday night's match against the Brisbane Broncos, playing at Suncorp Stadium ignites the state v state rivalry for forward Adam Cuthbertson.
“I really enjoy going up to Brisbane, for a player that hasn’t played Origin, you sort of use it as that bit of rivalry playing in NSW and going up there,” he told the media at a press conference on Wednesday.
“They get a good turn out and their fans are pretty passionate.
“They’ll be out there trying to fight for a semi-final spot, so we have to come out on our game or we’ll be in trouble.”
The Knights trained on Wednesday at Hunter Stadium due to the heavy rain, with Cuthbertson opting in to extra fitness training at the conclusion of the session.
“I’m definitely just trying to click up some k's on my legs because of missing out on a few games during the year and probably not getting as much game time as I’d like the last couple of weeks,” he admitted.
“Every now and then you have to put a few extras in and try to get ready for the weekend so you don’t feel it when it comes game time.”
Cuthbertson is bound for the UK at the end of the season to join the Leeds Rhinos in 2015.
Despite finals hopes disappearing, he wants his final matches with the Club to leave a lasting impression.
“It’s just a bit of pride, you don’t want to leave on a bad note,” he said.
“If Newcastle and the fans can remember me after I leave on winning terms, then that would just be great for me.
“At the end of the day, there’s nothing worse than coming off after a loss.
“You have to deal with it the whole week if you lose whether it’s by one point or by 50 points, you still feel terrible all week.
“If you can come out of the game with a win, then it makes the rest of the week easier.
“The Knights have enjoyed four wins out of the past six against some of the strongest teams in the competition
“We haven’t changed anything dramatically at training, it’s just starting to work on the field and we’re getting results from it.
“It’s a shame it didn’t work earlier on, but in terms of going forward for next year, we’re in good stead and are starting to really build on it."
One of the things the 29-year-old says he has enjoyed while at the Knights is watching emerging talent prosper.
“It’s been unreal just to see some kids come through and good development come through the Club," he said.
In particular, Sione and Chanel Mata’utia have caught his attention, both excelling since their recent debuts in the NRL.
“They make the difference, they’re a bit more edgy and we got the two wins on the back of it too,” he said.
“They’re not big headed, they’re pretty level headed.
“They come from a pretty big family so they’re quite humble and they show it on the field.
“They don’t play with an over amount of flair, just enough to get the job done and are pretty much rock solid.
“Sione’s big and strong and has the maturity to go with it.
“I wouldn’t like to put much pressure on them early on in these days, but if they keep going on this rate they will be great players for this Club.”
