It was a weekend of rest for the nib Newcastle Knights, as the team had a number of days off due to the bye.
“It was good to have those few days off,” admitted prop Daniel Saifiti.
“The legs were starting to feel it a bit but now we're feeling fresh and ready to go.”
It's back into the grind now as the Knights prepare to take on an in-form Melbourne Storm, who are sitting at the top of the table.
While their big names could be fatigued as they back up from Wednesday's Origin match, Saifiti maintains there’s no doubt the Storm still be a force out on the field.
“They are probably one of the best in the competition,” Saifiti explained.
“We just need to focus on playing a full 80 minutes and we can’t slack off in periods like we have in other games.”
The 21-year-old knows that while Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith are considered the danger men, they can’t be the only focus.
“It is hard to do that because there is so many good players in their team,” commented Saifiti.
“I will just focus in the middle and do my best job there.
“They have got a big mobile forward pack, they’re aggressive as well and we need to match them in that area.”
The young forward, who has won the Players’ Player award for the last two weeks running says he’s pleased his form is improving.
“I think I had a slow start to the year, I just needed a bit of confidence,” he said.
“It has been growing and to get the respect off the boys and get a few in a row means a lot to me.
“I just want to do my job as a front rower to get the boys on the front foot.”
His attitude will be no different when the Knights travel to Melbourne on Thursday to take on the Storm at AAMI Park on Friday night.
“It is just another game of footy to me, it’s going to be cold and something different but we definitely have to prepare for anything that comes our way,” Saifiti said.
