Adam Clune will bank on his knowledge of a Newcastle attacking structure that stretches down to the club's under-21s to prepare for the biggest game of his career against the Warriors.
Clune will be tasked with filling the boots of Jackson Hastings in Saturday night's do-or-die semi-final, playing only his fourth game of the season for the Knights.
A fill-in halfback for the final three regular-season rounds when Hastings was also injured, the Albion Park-Oak Flats product fitted in seamlessly to Newcastle's attack as they won all three matches.
The 28-year-old believes that is largely down to Newcastle playing the same style of football in NSW Cup, with coach Michael Monaghan employed full-time by the club.
"That's one thing they the club did on purpose to have the same structure, it helps so many guys that come up and train with first grade," Clune said.
"They understand what's happening because they've done it at Jersey Flegg (under-21s) and whatever as well. That definitely helps and gives players confidence when you can just do your own role.
"For me just trying to do probably not as much as I was doing at NSW Cup, but to come in and just have control, be calm and keep it simple.
"I want to make it easy for the guys around me that they didn't feel like there was a transition."
By his own admission, Clune finds it hard to believe he is about to play his first finals match.
The former St George Illawarra half was effectively the Knights' fourth-pick playmaker at the start of the year, with Kalyn Ponga and Hastings starting with Tyson Gamble on the bench.
Clune's best chance to impress early in the year also evaded him, suffering a broken hand at the same point Ponga was ruled out for six weeks with concussion.
But he has remained steady as the Knights' NSW Cup captain, before being the safe pick for the club in their biggest game in a decade.
"If you asked me in round one, with KP and Jacko starting in the halves, if I would be playing finals footy, I would have said I doubt that will happen," Clune said.
"You never say never. But to have the opportunity this weekend is really exciting."
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