KNIGHTS players donned colourful socks at training in Newcastle on Monday, but Marlie Baumann's pair stood out from the rest.
Pulled up to her knees, decorated in rainbow swirls and highlighted by a unicorn with real wings - Marlie was dressed to impress.
The six-year-old, also sporting a little Knights jersey, is the niece of injured playmaker Blake Green and attended the session in the lead up to the Lots Of Socks fundraiser being held to mark World Down Syndrome Day this weekend (March 21).
"It's about promoting discussions about accepting all our differences and I think it's a great concept," Green said.
"I asked the club to support it and get behind it. We're playing on Friday so we don't have an opportunity to do anything on Sunday, but I just thought it would be a great idea for us to wear the coloured socks today.
"My little niece Marlie, she's here today and she has Down syndrome. She's such a beautiful little girl and she's such a special part of our family who just lights up our life. She's so excited and really pumped up to see the boys in colourful socks. It will be a big buzz for her."
Green, part of Newcastle's leadership group and preparing to return from last year's knee surgery, already had his socks at home saying "I've got plenty of these colourful ones around. They're normally under the chinos but they're out on the field today".
He feels it's important for Marlie and others with Down syndrome to be "afforded the same opportunities as everyone else is, whether that's education or the workplace or in general".
Green's sister and Marlie's mother Natalie Baumann, based in Sydney, hadn't been involved with this charity cause previously but said the "time was right" and she was appreciative of the Knights showing support.
"It's beautiful to see what Blake and the club has organised today," she said.
Marlie and her younger sister Harper have just started kindergarten together.
