It was understandable that Mitchell Henderson was feeling nervous, on what was one of the premier moments of his young life.
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For there he was, surrounded by some of rugby league's elite talent as he trained with the Newcastle Knights at Farrer on Tuesday morning.
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A glorious day greeted a glorious moment in the standout playmaker's rugby league odyssey.
It was the first time the 17-year-old Dungowan farmboy had trained with a senior NRL squad.
"I was just excited and nervous," he said.
"Once I passed that first ball, it was all good; I started to feel comfortable," he also said, adding that the nerves never completely subsided.
Henderson will continue training with the squad during their week-long stay in Tamworth.
And then after he graduates year 12 at Farrer this year, last year's Greater Northern Tigers under-18 No 6 will spend eight weeks training with the Knights' senior squad next off-season.
Henderson said he "learnt a lot" from Tuesday's training session.
"The quality of the plays and the speed of everything we do, it's at another level," he said.
"I got a lot out of it ... it was a pretty big day. Yeah, I was pretty grateful for it."
Mingling with the likes of Kalyn Ponga, Mitchell Pearce and Tyson Frizell added to the significance of the occasion, while the playing group was "welcoming": they treated him "as one of their own".
"It was very worthwhile - a very new and exciting experience, just another level," he said.
It's heady stuff for a young man who appears to have his feet firmly planted on the ground.
After helping Newcastle win the 2019 Harold Matthews Cup, Henderson last year decided not to play for the Knights because he wanted normality to return to his life.
Late last year, he signed a new three-year deal with the club.
However, he will not play for Newcastle this year- again preferring to focus on his studies.
In 2022, Henderson wants to juggle his football commitments with a tertiary education.
