Danny Levi isn’t one to shy away from a challenge.
He isn’t wired that way.
In fact, he smiles in the face of adversity.
When the nib Newcastle Knights recruited Kurt Mann to play hooker, you could understand if the acquisition unsettled him but Levi welcomes the challenge.
Levi on Maori All Stars selection
“All it is going to do is make myself better,” Levi said of Mann’s arrival.
“He’s an awesome player and he can play a number of positions as well, he is also a really good dude too, he’s pretty funny so we get along and hopefully we can strike up a little combination there and only better the team.”
Picked on the bench for the Harvey Norman All Stars clash in Melbourne on February 15, Levi will represent the New Zealand Maori side.
“Yeah stoked, when I heard that’s what they were doing and I was really keen to be a part of it, so I am just happy I get to play,” he said.
“I’ve been working pretty hard this pre-season, so I think everyone is pretty keen to get a game in them. I’m just excited to play and you know it is definitely on a really big stage and in front of my home people so it should be really fun.”
The 23-year-old has previously pulled on a Kiwis jersey on four occasions and hopes to represent his country again.
In preparing for the 2019 season, Levi has set himself some short and long-term goals.
His first goal begins in Club land but his biggest would see him return to the representative fold for the first time since 2017.
“I have had a couple of goals,” he said.
“Short term goal is to try and get the starting job at the Knights first and then a couple on hopefully get back in the Kiwi’s jumper but at the moment just working hard to get that nine.”
“(Rory Kostjasyn) has been taking us and doing our own little stuff, just little fundamental that’s helping our game up and we are starting to strike up a few combinations with the back rowers and all that so just all of us pushing each other and working together it is only going to better us so it will be good.”
