St Helens legend James Graham was a trailblazer for England forwards in the NRL and new Dolphins lock Morgan Knowles is determined to follow the same warrior path as his former teammate.
Knowles, 28, will play lock in his NRL debut against South Sydney on Sunday after a stellar career at St Helens where he won three consecutive Super League grand finals and a Challenge Cup final under current Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf.
Graham returned to St Helens in 2020 after lighting up the NRL for Canterbury and St George Illawarra. Knowles was in awe of what the then 35-year-old warhorse, appropriately known as "Jammer", delivered as they won the Super League grand final together.
"Jammer had a massive impact on me and my career," Knowles said.
"I learnt loads off him, directly and indirectly, with how he goes about his business and his mentality of being all-in.
"That last year at St Helens his body was busted and he was in pain but he'd keep turning up and turning up.
"He would always do extras at the end of sessions and me and the younger players would try and come off the back of that.
"A great role model and someone who carried a real aura when you played with him. You don't want to let your teammates down but you didn't want to let him down either. You wanted to impress him."
Knowles said he wanted to "be that sort of player" but the Dolphins signed him because he already is.
Woolf wanted to add a toughness, resilience and presence to the side up front. Dolphins co-captain Tom Gilbert said there was a sense England lock Knowles was a Dolphin-in-waiting before he signed.
"Morgan had to learn our footy as quickly as possible and he picked it up in a few days to be honest," Gilbert said.
"You just know he is going to have a huge role in the club's success and he has shown us that both sides of the ball."
Knowles is a man for the times at the Dolphins and Woolf knew exactly what he was getting.
"I guess the standards that Woolfy has set and the team that he wants probably leans into my strengths," he said.
"I am an effort-based player. I work hard and keep turning up for the boys. That is what he is trying to instil here as a team.
"We have got some unbelievable talent and strike, and the lads attacked really well last year, but we want to try and make the foundation of a real hard-working team and defensively getting after it."
In team news, the Dolphins named Kurt Donoghoe at hooker and expect him to play despite a hamstring strain keeping him away from full training.
Former Penrith utility Brad Schneider will make his club debut at No.14.
