I HAVE never seen Connor Kirkwood pass a ball or make a tackle, but already I'm a fan.
The 21-year-old Cessnock Goannas halfback restored some of my faith in the Newcastle Rugby League competition when he declared this week that, if need be, he would be willing to play without receiving a penny for his efforts.
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"I'd be happy to play for free," Kirkwood told my colleague Josh Callinan.
"I can't speak on behalf of all players and everyone has different situations. I'm young and I don't have a family to think about so I just want to play.
"I'd do it and I know a lot of other boys would play for free as well."
Kirkwood, who called the shots in Cessnock's grand final loss to Wests last year, added: "You miss not playing, that routine of training Tuesday and Thursday and being around the boys."
Now that's the spirit.
His attitude, unfortunately, stands in stark contrast to the vast majority of those involved in the Newcastle RL, who apparently play not so much for the love of the game, but the love of a dollar.
That's all I can deduce from the unanimous vote by clubs this week to call the competition off if they are eventually cleared to play, but without crowds in attendance.
"It was a decision of the [Newcastle RL] board that our competitions could not proceed if social gathering restrictions remain in place," Newcastle RL chief executive Matt Harris told the Herald.
"All clubs supported this decision."
In an ideal world, Newcastle RL players would be paid this season, just as they have been every year since the competition kicked off in 1910.
But the world in which we are currently living is clearly not ideal, and it possibly won't be for some months to come.
No crowds means no gate-takings and canteen sales for Newcastle RL clubs, who will hence struggle to offer players their usual remuneration.
And for Macquarie coach Steve Kidd, that means only one outcome.
"If there's no crowds the comp can't go ahead," Kidd told the Herald.
"Sponsorship has already been affected and players can't be expected to play for nothing. Another month [from now] is June 1 and if restrictions haven't been lifted by then it's nearly time to pull the pin."
Fair enough. Everyone has their own standards.
It's looking very much as if the same attitude will prevail in the Northern NSW Premier League soccer competition.
But, in contrast, if the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union is given the green light to kick off the 2020 season, you can guarantee they'll be out there at the first available opportunity.
So, too, the Black Diamond AFL.
The difference, of course, is very few, if any, of their players earn a quid.
And while Newcastle RL supporters claim their players deserve to be rewarded for the "sacrifices" they make in relation to training, employment and family, are they any more committed than their counterparts from the rival footballing codes?
Try telling that to the Hamilton Hawks, who have won the past five NHRU first-grade grand finals.
And as for the argument that Real NRL players might suffer an injury that impacts on their regular employment, the same applies to rugby union and Australian rules as well.
The bottom line is that these are exceptional circumstances, and if it comes down to a choice between playing for no pay, or not playing at all, I'd have thought it's a no-brainer.
I'd have assumed that most young blokes in the competition, like Connor Kirkwood, would be busting to get back and run around with their mates, after all these weeks and months of sitting at home watching Netflix and playing video games.
It's not as if the no-crowds/no-cash scenario would be permanent. In all likelihood, it's a one-off and normal service will resume next season.
It would also be a chance for players to give something back to the game.
When you consider each Newcastle RL club operates with a salary cap of roughly $140,000, that's more than $1 million in player payments every season.
Sometimes it becomes a price too high. That's why Waratah-Mayfield, North Newcastle, Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay are now defunct as top-grade operations.
Yet when a club goes broke, do players offer to refund their payments? Not likely. They just move on to whoever else will offer them a contract.
Good luck to them, but it all strikes me as something of an anachronism.
Back before the Knights entered the NSWRL competition in 1988, the district competition was virtually the only outlet for Novocastrian footy lovers and suburban grounds were regularly well attended.
Supporters would then head back to the nearby leagues club for a few drinks and thus helped fund their team.
In the 30-odd years since, that fan base has steadily dwindled, yet clubs have continued paying players.
It seems some of the players don't appreciate how lucky they are. They're not full-time professionals, because if they were good enough they would surely be playing in the NRL.
The money they earn in the Newcastle RL should be considered a bonus, not an entitlement.
It's something they have been lucky enough to receive for 110 years and this season, by agreeing to play for nothing in a time of crisis, would be a chance to show their gratitude.
Instead it seems highly likely there will be no Newcastle RL played at all in 2020, which rates as a no-win situation for everyone involved.
If they all had the same attitude as Connor Kirkwood, the game would be better for it.
