Despite a near perfect record with the boot to highlight a personal 16-point haul against the Bulldogs on Friday night, Knights new sharp-shooter Mitch Barnett says he is just keeping the goal-kicking seat warm for Kalyn Ponga.
Handed the job by Adam O'Brien last week, Barnett landed six goals from seven attempts in his side's 32-16 opening round win to more than justify the coach's faith.
His only miss came in the first half from the eastern touchline after Starford To'a try in the corner.
"I got looked after big-time, didn't I," a modest Barnett told the Newcastle Herald.
"The boys did the right thing because 90 percent of them were from close range which made it a bit easier.
"I was nervous for the first one but once that was out of the road, you sort of get into the groove of it.
"It was enjoyable to kick a few but I forgot a couple of times I was even kicking - I was starting to run back and had to turn around. The sideline one was one of those and when I came back, I reckon I rushed it and hit it poorly. But I'll keep practicing and see how it goes."
Asked about potentially taking the job fulltime, even when Ponga is back on deck after his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery, Barnett said: "I want to give it back to him to be honest.
"It's not that I don't like doing it but from what I've seen from KP at training, he's really improved a lot. I'll be happy to give it back to him and just fill in when needed."
That could change though if left-footed Barnett continues to nail them over the next month.
Goal-kicking has been something of a problem area for the Knights but Barnett, Ponga and fullback Tex Hoy have spent the off-season working closely with new skills coach Mick Byrne in a bid to find improvement.
Ponga had only a 65 percent success rate in 2020 but Byrne has told O'Brien he expects to have Ponga kicking at better than 80 percent when the fullback gets back on the field.
Barnett said Byrne knows his stuff and has been an enormous help.
"Mick's changed my kicking completely from the way I set up to the angle I come in at the ball to how I'm striking it - just about everything, and he's done a similar thing with KP [Ponga]," Barnett said.
"I think with his influence, we are going to improve a lot in that area. I really like some of the things he's brought in and I'm a lot more confident with it and I reckon KP will be the same when he gets back."
Barnett backed up his kicking with an outstanding individual game as part of a dominant forward pack.
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