A country boy, Brodie Jones enjoys shooting in his spare time, but it's a spot in Newcastle's NRL side that he's squarely zeroed in on.
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The versatile Knights forward, who re-signed late last season for this year only, is hoping to make the most of the club's upcoming trials, the first of which will be played in Gosford against Cronulla on Saturday week.
After a 12-game NRL campaign last year, which included his 50th appearance, Jones faces stiff competition from the likes of new recruits Kai Pearce-Paul and Jed Cartwright, and the emerging Dylan Lucas, to land a spot in the first-grade side.
He's determined, but with a team-first mentality, as always, he sees benefits for the club even if he doesn't get the jump on his teammates.
"I want to be in the 17," Jones said, speaking to the Newcastle Herald ahead of his side's first hit out against the Sharks on February 17.
"But that's 40 other people's goals as well. There's good competition, [but] I feel like I've gotten better this pre-season. Whether it's on the bench, or wherever I need to be, I don't care - I just want to be in that 17.
"And if I'm not, I'll do what I have to do - teach and help the young ones, and hopefully do well in [NSW] Cup for myself. If that's what I've got to do, and knock on the door, then that's what I'll do."
Jones, 25, has been a dependable squad player over the past four seasons, playing 54 games. He welcomed the pressure Pearce-Paul and Cartwright's arrival had placed on his own chances.
"They're both big, big men. Kai is huge, tall as, and Jed is much the same - a couple of rangy back-rowers," he said.
"It's more of a challenge.
"It makes it harder to crack the 17, but it will also make our Cup team stronger.
"You can look at it two ways, you can look at it as a bad thing, but I find it a good thing. It's going to bring the best out of me."
Jones described his 2023 campaign as "a bit of a roller-coaster".
He was part of the club's 10-game winning streak and played in the 40-10 semi-final loss to New Zealand, but he wasn't picked for the three consecutive sold-out home games.
He also only inked a new deal in the days before the semi-final. The Cessnock junior revealed interest from other clubs, but said he never really wanted to move on.
"I was close to going to Brisbane, but I wanted to stay here," he said.
"That's how it's always been. Ever since I've been young, it's all I've wanted.
"It was a pretty easy decision once the Knights put forward an offer."
