Newcastle's next playmaking prodigy has thanked the suspended Jarrod Mullen for an apprenticeship that has him on the cusp of NRL stardom.
Brock Lamb will give Knights fans another glimpse of the future when he lines up alongside fellow halves candidate Jaelen Feeney for this weekend's Auckland Nines.
The 20-year-old is pencilled in to start the season proper in the No.6, taking over a position previously held by another home-grown local in Mullen.
The former NSW State of Origin star remains suspended indefinitely as he awaits the results from his B sample after testing positive in November to an anabolic steroid.
But that didn't stop Lamb crediting Mullen for helping him rise through the ranks.
"He's helped me ever since I first come into grade and he's done a lot for me. I got nothing but respect for him and I'm just going to keep training my hardest," Lamb told AAP on Friday.
"Everyone helps each other, and we've got Trent Hodkinson there as well, who's been a big influence on me. But Mullo's been unreal for me."
Lamb, playinged three games last year, has been in the Knights' system since he was 14. He didn't meet his more-established teammates until a couple of years ago.
He said he immediately sought their advice on life in the NRL.
"First time you meet them, you just want to ask a million questions because they got so much knowledge. It's unfortunate what happened to Mullo, but there's not much you can do," he said.
"With everything that's going on, I'm just focused on trying to make myself better and train as hard as I can and we'll see how that goes."
Severe ankle and shoulder injuries brought an abrupt end to his first season in the NRL, however Lamb said the time off allowed him to reflect on his ascension into the top grade.
He said he also took heart from a sudden boom in young playmaking stocks across the competition, including Nathan Cleary and Ashley Taylor.
He identified Cleary's calmness as a key component to a successful transition to the NRL.
"I played with Nathan in the juniors and he absolutely killed it last year," Lamb said.
"You just gotta be calm. There's a lot of stuff going on out there and I think the main thing is to learn to be calm. If you can be calm under pressure situations, then you'll be sweet.
"I'd like to think I can stay calm out there. That's the player I do want to be. You see all the top players, Thurston and whatnot, they're all calm under pressure."
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