Adam O'Brien would love to have a player of the calibre of Tyson Frizell at this disposal when this season potentially reboots at the end of next month.
But the Knights coach has hosed down any suggestion the Newcastle-bound Test backrower could be released early from his St George Illawarra contract to link with the Knights before June 30.
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O'Brien, who was given a first hand look on Tuesday at what teamwork is all about in the building industry at a worksite of Knights sponsor McDonald Jones Homes, said Frizell linking with the club early has not been talked about.
"There hasn't be any discussion at all in that regard and as it stands, his contract with us hasn't even been registered yet,"O'Brien said.
"It's not something that has crossed any of our minds at the moment and there are more pressing things we are looking at. There's been no dialogue from anyone here or anyone from Tyson's camp or anyone from the Dragons so I'm not sure where the rumour's come from."
O'Brien, who has been back at work for more than a week planning a training return as early as May 4, said he is confident his unbeaten side will be ready to hit the ground running whenever the competition restarts.
"Obviously, the three weeks plus game week we'll have together back as a group before it kicks off again is going to be really important to us," he said.
"But I'm really happy with what the players have done so far during the break as far as times and volume of work goes.
"We've been able to track their times and how much they have been doing and I'm comfortable with where they are at. Weight-wise, they are really good but that three to four week block when we are back at training is when we need to nail the contact fitness to get us ready as well as the connection stuff with the footy.
"The good thing is I'm confident we won't have to spend the first couple of weeks getting running loads into them because I feel like we are in a good position with that."
O'Brien, who had considered looking for some labouring work after being stood down by the club without pay at the height of the coronavirus crisis, said he was glad to be back at work preparing for a continuation of the season.
But that didn't stop him fulfilling a commitment to club sponsor McDonald Jones Homes at a house under construction at Edgeworth, even if he didn't take up the tools himself.
"Coming out here and talking to the guys on the job, you get a different perspective on the sort of teamwork that's involved and the number of families that are employed and have food on the table just from this one house being built," he said.
MJH Hunter general manager Matt Edwards said the company, who currently has 270 houses under construction in the Hunter, is fully committed to the region and their sponsorship of the Knights despite the lack of on-field action.
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