MITCH Black hasn't given up on playing at a higher level.
But for now, he is just happy to be playing some consistent footy.
The South Newcastle hooker was contracted to the Knights in 2021 but struggled to get a regular run in the club's lower-grade sides.
Having been told he was down the pecking order, Black reached out to Lions coach Andrew Ryan and set his sights on playing more senior footy in Newcastle Rugby League this season.
The 21-year-old, who only debuted for Souths last year, has become a mainstay of Lions' side this season and scored a try in their 12-10 loss to Central on Sunday.
"He has been outstanding," Ryan said of Black.
"He has come back here with a great attitude."
The Taree product, who moved to Newcastle to play juniors with the Knights, began his association with Souths playing under-19s.
Black has continued to train with the Knights' NSW Cup squad this season despite not being retained on a contract this year.
"I got a few opportunities but probably didn't take them as well as I wanted to," Black, an Australian Schoolboys representative in 2019, said. "It was kind of hard not knowing where I was going to be [playing] each week, I was kind of struggling with it waiting for the team to come out each Tuesday.
"I had an honest conversation with my [Knights] coach and I was appreciative of it.
"It was obviously tough .... but there's different routes and I'm just trying to work hard for the [Souths] boys now and play some consistent footy. I'm just enjoying my time back at Souths.
"All the boys are top blokes and Bobcat has built a good culture at the club."
Souths have produced a stunning turnaround on last year, when they were running last before the season was abandoned, to sit second after 11 games.
With Ryan back at the helm, the Lions have lost only three games and are on track to make the finals.
"If you look at the team, it's pretty much the same," Black said. "I think we've just got a good relationship with each other. I feel like we're working for each other more and having RG [Ryan Glanville] back is massive. He brings a lot of structure and ball-playing now he is at lock."
Black, who works as a teacher aide and is completing an open-foundation university course, loves playing alongside Glanville and under coach Ryan.
"They're always telling me to back myself," Black, the cousin of Knights forward Mat Croker, said. "RG and Jason Keelan, they just want me to play eyes-up footy.
"I love the way they want to play whatever comes up. It's not careless, but fearless footy, I guess, which I love.
"I just try and work hard in defence and have a bit of spark in attack."
