A one-club-man up until this point, it was a new experience for Jamie Buhrer this morning as he arrived for the first day of pre-season training.
Having recently signed on a two-year deal from the Manly Sea Eagles, Buhrer was one of the new faces at Knights HQ as the coaching staff put the players through their paces.
“Coming to a new club is a bit like your first day at school, but all the boys have been really welcoming and it’s good to get that first session out of the way,” the 26-year-old utility explained.
“It was a pretty tough start to the morning, we had some fitness testing which is always difficult.”
With Buhrer having been at Manly for the entirety of his NRL career, he admits that he is not familiar with many of his new teammates.
“I used to play with Trent (Hodkinson) at Manly,” Buhrer said.
“I’ve met a few of the others, but nearly everyone is new to me and I’m new to them.”
Renowned for his professional approach to the game and training in particular, Buhrer will provide a strong role model for the younger players in the team.
It’s part of the reason why coach Nathan Brown brought the 128-game player into the squad, and Buhrer is keen to rub off on his teammates.
“I think I bring a fair bit of experience, I’ve been around for a while now,” Buhrer said.
“For the most part it’s a very young team here, and I think some experience is needed.”
The one-time New South Wales Origin player is looking forward to the challenges ahead, and he says he has had in-depth discussions with Brown on where the Club is headed.
“We had a very honest discussion about where the Club is currently at, and where he wants the Club to go,” Buhrer explained.
“There’s a plan, and what he said resonated with me.
“I think the Club’s got the right people in place for this rebuild that’s in progress.
“It’s certainly a challenge that I’m excited to be a part of.”
And while Buhrer is comfortable with the utility tag that he carries and Brown has not yet disclosed where he will be playing next year, he says he’s aiming for a spot in the back row.
“Obviously Jeremy Smith (retired) is going to be a big loss, so there will be that spot there up for grabs,” he said.
“I see myself playing somewhere in the back row, either on the edge or in the middle.
“During the pre-season I’ll be covering a fair few bases, but if I had to pick a position then back row is probably where I would see myself.”
