Boom rookie Starford To'a will become the second teenage Newcastle Knights star in the space of three weeks to be handed an NRL debut on Sunday.
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The Newcastle Herald has learned the young winger has been promoted to the top grade for the Knights' final round clash against Penrith at Penrith Stadium following the withdrawal of veteran Shaun Kenny-Dowall through injury.
To'a's elevation closely follows the debut a fortnight ago of another of the club's bright young stars, Bradman Best against Wests Tigers.
Kenny-Dowall's injury could spell the end of his NRL career with the former Kiwi international unsigned by the Knights for next season and facing an uncertain future. While the Panthers clash is to all intents and purposes a dead rubber given neither side can make the play-offs, out-going interim coach Kristian Woolf is adamant his team will have plenty to play for.
Depending on results, the Knights can finish as high as ninth or as low as 11th. An 11th playing would emulate what the club achieved in 2018.
"What we've got as a playing group is an opportunity to do a couple of things in this last game,"Woolf said. "One is to finish the season on a real positive. We have shown our potential at different times this year but we have under-achieved and this gives us the chance to put a positive fullstop on the year.
"But I also look at where the team finished last year and the improvements that we've made. That needs to be shown on where we sit on the ladder when it's all over.
"I don't think anyone would say we deserved to be 11th or 12th or somewhere like that. I believe we deserve to be up around the eight and that's where we need to try and finish."
After righting a sinking ship with a big win over the Gold Coast Titans last weekend, there is a fear the Knights could have a mental letdown at Penrith Stadium.
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But Woolf is confident that won't be the case.
"I really sense the boys will get up for this one," he said.
"The thing for this group is not everyone is going to be here next year, it won't be the same squad and therefore there is a bit of emotion attached to that.
"We have done a lot of hard work since last November like all teams have but that can't be forgotten just because you are not going into finals.
"You've done that hard work to try and achieve something and we still have the chance to achieve."
Woolf, who is set to link with English Super League club St Helens as head coach, admits his interim role over the past fortnight has been bitter-sweet.
"I really don't enjoy the circumstances because I'm a big supporter of Browny as a person and as a coach,"he said. "But I did enjoy last week and this week from a coaching perspective and the players have been great. It's just been about giving them support and the right focus and I can't fault the group at all in that regard."
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