He may have played his last NRL game and admits his future likely lies overseas, but playmaker Adam Clune is happy to be contributing any way he can to Newcastle's stunning late-season revival.
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Clune, a player the Knights signed to be Mitchell Pearce's back-up but who went on to play 18 games last season after the latter left for France, made his sole first-grade appearance this year in Sunday's 29-10 victory over South Sydney.
He replaced injured halfback Jackson Hastings, whose off-season recruitment essentially relegated Clune back to the first-choice reserve playmaker's role he was initially signed for.
But stepping up to first grade for the first time in almost a year, the 28-year-old dutifully steered the ship to help the side to a seventh consecutive victory in front of a sold-out crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium.
"My job is to come in and do my role for the team. It sounds simple but when the team's going well, the challenge was to come in and not overplay my hand," Clune told the Newcastle Herald after the inspiring win.
Having spent the entire season in NSW Cup, where Newcastle are languishing in second last after eight wins and 15 losses, it was no easy task for Clune to jump into the key play-making role and not disrupt the team's flow or momentum.
Knights coach Adam O'Brien hailed Clune for his "exceptional" performance and preparation last week, saying "he was the right man for the job".
"It's never just easy to play NRL or NRL halfback," Clune said.
"I haven't done, really, any reps with the NRL team this year.
"Obviously 'Jacko' has been playing all year and has been playing great footy.
"Coming into a team that's playing full of confidence, I just had to know my role for the team and keep it pretty simple, which I thought I did and the boys around me made that easier for me.
"We play the same shape in reserve grade, which helps the transition."
Hastings is expected to return to take on Cronulla in front of another sell-out crowd on Sunday but Clune has been retained in the 22-man squad just in case.
"It's hard sometimes when you want to be playing first grade and you're not, but ... both the boys in the halves have been playing great footy," Clune said.
"I've been in and out with a couple of injuries throughout the year which probably hasn't helped, but I've been enjoying my footy and loving coming to training."
Clune, who has made 44 NRL appearances since debuting at the Dragons in 2020, is off-contract at the end of this season and has been linked with a move to Super League club Huddersfield.
The Orange-born halfback, who attempted and kicked his first field goal at NRL level on Sunday, admits a move to England is most likely for 2024.
"At this stage I might be heading overseas, but I'm just figuring that all out at the moment," he said.
"I'll probably make a decision in the next couple of weeks.
"Whether it comes to an end here or not, I just want to enjoy it.
"We've got to keep pushing for the finals.
"There's still two games to go, and we need to win those and keep the momentum. That's my focus.
"Whether I'm playing or not, I'll still put my best foot forward at training during the week and maintain that."
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