Saturday’s trial match in Orange will be the first time Trent Hodkinson will take the field as a Newcastle Knight.
It’s an exciting prospect for the new recruit who is as eager as ever to put into action months of pre-season training alongside his new teammates.
“It’s been a while now and has been a grueling pre-season,” he told Knights TV.
“There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears, so I’m looking forward to getting out there.”
The trial presents the first opportunity for the skillful playmaker to get a taste of what it’s like to work with his new team in a game atmosphere against the Canberra Raiders.
“It will be about working on combinations and working really hard on what we’ve done in the pre-season in offence and defence as well as to blow the cobwebs out and get some match fitness,” he said.
"I’ve been training with them now for quite some time, but it’s a little bit different in the heat of the battle.”
While the Knights’ trial squad boasts plenty of senior heads in players like Kade Snowden, Jeremy Smith and Akuila Uate, it’s the enthusiasm and energy of the side’s young emerging players he can’t wait to see impress on Saturday.
“It will be exciting to play alongside them, they’ve been going well on the training paddock and have been doing some good things and keeping the experienced guys on their toes," he said.
Hodkinson is also happy to play the Club’s final trial match before season 2016 in the regional city of Orange in front of a packed crowd at Wade Park.
“It’s always great going out to regional town like that and playing footy and the locals getting amongst it,” he said.
“It’s good for the NRL as well and guys who haven’t been to places like that.
“I know all the guys are pretty excited to head out to Orange and to go against the Raiders, it will be a tough game.”
