While he'll be looking to secure glory for the Redfern All Blacks when he makes his way to Apex Oval as part of the newly formed Tribal League, Dean Widders is keenly aware of the importance the event has for the region's up-and-coming players.
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The Armidale product, who's also served as the NRL's Indigenous Pathways manager, will be just one of many former and current first grade talents who will ply their trade as part of the event, but it's the players on the rise who stand to gain the most.
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"This is the next level up, it's a huge part of the pathways, usually we'd have the Koori Knockout function this way but it really is the grassroots for our community clubs," Widders said.
"This is a rep time event, we're looking at picking the best of the best across all the regions and putting them together."
The Knockout was originally set to take place on the South Coast in October, but was postponed earlier in the year until 2021.
While the Tribal League has no official ties to the Knockout, many of the same players and sides will be represented, with a number of sides combining ahead of the first round in Dubbo next weekend.
"It's a huge part of the pathway for players and coaches, having the professionalism of our NRL players playing alongside our best up and coming players," Widders said.
"It would have been terrible to miss that and it's going to be a huge boost for our players."
The tournament will three six men's teams - Wellington Castlereagh All Blacks, Wiradjuri Googars, Coastal Connections, Newcastle Hawks, Redfern All Blacks and Walgett Aboriginal Connection - and four women's sides - Redfern All Blacks, Blacktown Red Belly Warriors, North West Connections and Newcastle Hawks, battle it out over three rounds.
