IT will be a while yet before Kai Pearce-Paul is charging onto Kalyn Ponga short balls at full throttle.
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But the bad news for Newcastle's opponents is that at some point during the coming NRL season, the Knights' English import will inevitably link with their reigning Dally M gold medallist, and good luck to whoever is responsible for stopping them.
Ponga, of course, needs no introduction. Pearce-Paul is the former Wigan back-rower the Knights have signed for the next two seasons, who stands 1.98 metres tall, weighs 108 kilograms, and casts a large shadow.
Together they could provide the Knights with a lethal new cutting edge.
Asked about the prospect of running off Ponga's crafty ball-play, Pearce-Paul sounded like a kid counting down the days until Christmas.
"Playing with someone like Kalyn Ponga, he's an absolute superstar," he said.
"He's at a whole different level to anyone I've ever played with before ... I think that's any back-rower's dream, really, having Kalyn playing inside you.
"It'll be exciting times. But now it's about building that level of trust with Kalyn and the rest of the squad."
I'm loving this place
- KAI PEARCE-PAUL
The 22-year-old, capped in three Tests by England, has what Knights coach Adam O'Brien describes as a "physical presence".
Once he is back to full fitness after off-season toe surgery, he will be expected to start showcasing the skill set that helped Wigan win last year's Super League grand final. The Knights will be hoping he can develop into their version of Viliame Kikau, David Fifita or Haumole Olakau'atu.
"He's very athletic, a tall guy and has good evasion and an off-load," O'Brien said recently. "He'll add a lot to our attack."
Pearce-Paul admitted it was frustrating to learn upon arriving at the Knights that the toe injury he nursed for much of last season would need to be repaired. But three months on, he is now "pain-free" and intent on making up for lost time.
"Whether it's a new team or not, being injured, on the sideline, is not the best feeling," he said.
"You can feel a bit left out ... but as the weeks go on, there are more and more bits of training I can join in.
"I've had a few full sessions now and I'm getting to know the boys on another level. It's been good bonding for me."
Pearce-Paul said it would be up to Newcastle's high-performance staff to determine if he will be ready for game time in Newcastle's two trials against Cronulla (February 17) and Melbourne (February 24).
"That's not something I've discussed, as such yet," he said.
"It will depend on whether the physios want me to be involved in the trial games, or not. I literally couldn't give you an answer right now.
"My injury has been a week-by-week progression.
"It's just been about ticking one box and moving onto the next. Another week or so, hopefully I'll have a better idea."
Pearce-Paul is clearly thriving in his new surrounds.
"The more and more weeks go by, I feel like it is becoming home for me," he said. "I settled in pretty well. The transition wasn't too hard. It's a lovely area full of lovely people.
"The boys and the staff have been so supportive and I'm just really looking forward to spending more time here and getting to know the area better.
"... I'm loving the heat, loving the sun. It's a whole different climate. Pretty tough, not what I'm used to, but I'm really enjoying it.
"Just little things, like going for a coffee and sitting in the sun ... back home, we'd be training sometimes on a frozen pitch, and your car would be frozen over when you leave the house in the morning.
"It's been a big change, but I'm loving this place."
