As a confirmed starter for next weekend's trial at Wauchope, Kade Snowden is eager to get game time under his belt and to play alongside a number of the team's younger players.
The Knights are set to take on the Mid North Coast Group 3 rugby league community when they travel to Wauchope next weekend.
“It will be a bit of a change to playing NRL, but it will be good to see how things hold up,” Snowden told Knights TV.
“I’m looking forward to it and it will be good to play with a few of the younger fellas and try to teach them a few things.”
The quality of the side’s emerging talent is one of the main observations the 28-year-old has made about this year’s pre-season.
As a former Knights junior, he believes the young players progressing through the squad are particularly promising in 2015.
“It’s a much younger squad, but everyone is trying their heart out just to try get that spot and it keeps everyone on their toes," Snowden said.
“That’s probably the main thing."
As one of the senior squad members with 10 years NRL experience behind him, Snowden has already established himself as a role model for many of the developing front rowers.
“It’s a bit different from last year because we had Mase (Willie Mason) and a lot of older players leading the way, but I think it’s time for a few of the players who have played a few games to step up and pass on the knowledge,” he said.
Snowden is happy with the progress he’s made in the pre-season to date and says a niggling knee injury has not held him back thanks to the watchful eyes of the Knights’ training staff including Colin Sanctuary, Dave Ballard and Grant Duthie.
"The trainers have kept an eye on a few of our injuries so at the start they eased us into it," he said.
“I’m back to training full time now and really enjoying it.
“Col the new head trainer has been really helpful for me with my injuries, they are really good trainers.
“They’ve been doing everything they can to look after the team and make sure we’re all 100 per cent.”
The full squad for the trial will be announced on Tuesday, February 10.
