Knights trialist Tyrone Roberts-Davis has a carpentry apprenticeship to fall back on if he fails to re-ignite his professional league career.
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But he's not ready to go back to work for a living just yet.
The 22-year-old former Gold Coast Titans outside back is currently trialing for a contract with the Knights, having made the trip down the coast from Burleigh Heads to Newcastle for the start of pre-season training back in November with no guarantees.
It was a career gamble he was willing to take after he played seven NRL games for the Titans in 2017-18 before finding himself back playing for Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup last season.
"It's a big gamble basically starting from scratch again," he said. "You don't know what the outcome is going to be but if you love footy, that's what you've got to do. You have to take risks."
With one of the three remaining spots left to fill in the club's 30-man roster likely to go to an outside back, Roberts-Davis will use the NRL Nines in Perth and the trials to make his case. He believes he is doing all the right things in training to earn a deal.
"I've felt like I've been going pretty good," he said. "I've just been focusing on trying to put my best foot forward and basically show what I can do and hopefully I can do that in the trials coming up."
Whatever happens, he won't be leaving Newcastle. He'll play NSW Cup and get back on the tools.
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