The Newcastle Knights have reshuffled their forward pack ahead of Sunday's clash with the Wests Tigers, dropping Kurt Mann and handing recruit Tyson Gamble a club debut at lock.
Despite donning the No. 19 jersey, the former Bronco will start at lock for the first time in his NRL career, having started 22 of his 25 games in the halves, and finding himself on the bench the other three.
While Mann has some really understated qualities to his game, Gamble delivers a level of aggression and competitiveness that Newcastle are crying out for early in the season.
Adam Elliott was the presumed heir to the starting lock role in 2023, however an interrupted pre-season has carried into the early rounds after a groin injury hampered the former Raider last week, and ruled him out for this contest.
Gamble is a similar mould to Josh Reynolds in terms of his playing style. He certainly isn't the quickest or the most skilful player on the park, but he's all heart, he leads with actions, and most importantly, he wants to win.
The utility has spent the pre-season splitting his time between the halves, lock and fullback, originally touted for a bench role, however it appears Phoenix Crossland has a mortgage on the jersey for now.
It'll be somewhat of a homecoming, with the 26-year-old making his NRL debut for the Wests Tigers in 2018, across town at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
He only played a singular game for the Concord-based club before moving north to Brisbane, featuring in 24 games across three seasons in Red Hill before inking a deal with Newcastle, and bagging Kevin Walters on a podcast during his exit.
"Kev's the coach but Reyno (Reynolds) is the go-to man for everybody. If you've got a question about the team or footy, you go to him," Gamble said on the Marshie's Cornerย podcast last year.
"It's not a knock on Kev but Reyno has been around for so long.
"Kevvie really understands footy and he's a good bloke in getting the team up and about but the modern day is so different to the way Kevvie played footy.
"There are some similarities with how you have to be with attitude and stuff, but Reyno is the mastermind around our attack at the moment."
With Kalyn Ponga still coming to terms with the five-eighth role and Jackson Hastings a newcomer at the club, Gamble's playmaking in the middle third will ease the pressure on the fresh halves combo as they eye off victory at the 'eighth wonder of the world' - Leichhardt Oval.
