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The promising back-rower, who turns 22 on Thursday, enjoyed a career high during the NRL Nines pre-season tournament in Perth when he crashed over for a try after a pass from veteran Kurt Gidley.

Gidley, who came out of retirement at the age of 37, was one of Jones's heroes when he was a tyro running around with the Cessnock Goannas.

"I was a bit shocked, to be honest," Jones told the Newcastle Herald.

"It was just surreal. Realising Gids passed me the ball, I was a bit like: 'Did that really happen?'

"I watched him when I was growing up ... it's crazy when you think about it.

"I couldn't comprehend it."

Jones had no doubt that, judging by the Nines, Gidley was still capable of playing in the NRL, describing him as "a freak".

"He has not lost it, at all ... he is that fit," Jones said.

As for his own chances of playing in the NRL, the 2016 Australian Schoolboys representative has been biding his time, hoping for a call-up. But he remains well aware that some high-class back-rowers are ahead of him in the pecking order.

"The Nines gave me a good insight into the step up to NRL football," he said.

"We played against Parra, and they pretty much sent an NRL squad. So it was good to see the difference between NSW Cup and the NRL, even though it wasn't 13 v 13.

"But I did get a lot of confidence out of that."

The neck injury that Mitch Barnett suffered against Wests Tigers in round two puts Jones one step closer to an NRL debut.

Barnett needed surgery that involved a bone graft and will be sidelined indefinitely.

"I hate to see it, because Barney is an unreal bloke and he's helped me a lot," Jones said.

"But it's an opportunity sort of thing.

"Hopefully if I've left a good impression it's not too long before I get a crack. If it's off the bench, whatever, it doesn't bother me.

"I'm just itching to be back playing football."

Jones felt he had maintained his strength and fitness levels during his six weeks of training in isolation.

"The performance staff kept smashing out training programs every week, and we had to keep logging that into our training app," he said. "It's been pretty full-on. I didn't realise how much technology they had but hopefully it helps us to stay fit for when we resume full training ... I still feel reasonably fit. My body's not sore at the moment, because we haven't been tackling anybody."