The three youngest players in this year’s Nines squad are Nick Meaney, Cory Denniss and Sam Stone.
All three are 19-years-old and all three are finishing off their first NRL pre-season, Denniss being the only one to have experienced first grade before.
All three are also excited to be playing in their first Nines competition this weekend.
“Everyone says it’s a great atmosphere over there and I’m looking forward to going,” Denniss told Knights TV.
“I’ve watched it the last couple of years and it’s quick, entertaining and it looks fun.”
For Meaney and Stone it will be their first trip away with players from the NRL side, and Meaney said it was a big shock when coach Nathan Brown told him that he was going.
“I wasn’t expecting to get picked, but obviously it’s a good achievement for myself and hopefully I can go out there and do the job,” he said.
“Nathan gave me the heads up a while ago, just so I could go home and tell my parents and they could book their tickets to get over there.”
Stone meanwhile said that he was looking forward to learning from the more experienced players in the squad.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with the experienced guys like Jamie Buhrer,” he said.
“I’ve got to know all the other boys going as well, and I think it’s a really good group.
“There’s lots of people I’ve played with for a long time as well and that does make it a bit more comfortable for me.”
Stone and Denniss have played together since Under 14s, so it will be an extra special moment for them if they get out on the field at the same time.
“Sam is someone that I’ve grown up with playing football, so it’s going to be good lining up with him,” Denniss said.
“We’re a pretty tight-knit group so I don’t think it mattered who was going over, but I think we’re going to compete really well and be there for each other.”
The Knights travel to New Zealand on Thursday afternoon.
