As the younger brother, former Lakes clubmate and recently reunited roomie of NRL debutant Chris Randall, the pair share quite a close bond.

However, Carl will be forced to support Chris from afar when the Knights resume their 2020 season against Penrith at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday.

Crowds are banned from attending NRL games at the moment because of coronavirus guidelines implemented when the competition kicked back off this week following a two-month break.

It means Chris' family, including sibling Carl, father also named Carl and mother Margaret, won't have the chance to be in the stands when the No.14 runs onto the field for the first time.

"It's a shame we can't go, but it is what it is," Carl told the Newcastle Herald on Friday.

"We probably would have gone close [to filling a bay] with all the friends and family that would have been there."

Instead, Carl said his "eyes would be glued to the tele" at Cardiff Heights when the undefeated sides go head-to-head in the third-round clash and joined by a "few boys" to mark the occasion.

Carl said family contingients would likely gather to watch the broadcast at other locations around the Hunter.

"Mum's up at Singleton now and dad's at Tingira Heights," Carl said.

"We've got an aunty and uncle, plus nan and pa that are all part of Chris' cheer squad. Everybody is pretty hyped about it."

Lakes first-grade coach Robbie Payne said plenty of proud Seagulls would also be tuning in to see Chris don the famed red and blue uniform.

"I've been in regular touch with him over the off-season seeing how he's travelling and I've spoken to him already this week to say how proud myself and the Lakes club are of him," Payne said.

Carl, 21, and hooker Chris, 24, played together only the once at Lakes, lining up against Souths at Townson Oval midway through the 2018 Newcastle Rugby League season.

Chris was part of reserve-grade premierships with the Seagulls in 2015 and 2016. Payne paid tribute to the "hard work" put in rising through the code's ranks over the last four years.

Carl said it was "amazing" to see Chris reach the national stage. "I don't think it's really sunk in yet," Carl said. "Watching the footy last night [Thursday] fired me up. Just thinking that's going to be my brother out there."

Meanwhile, Carl is hoping to return overseas later this year and play American football at the Californian-based College of the Siskiyous. He arrived in the US to trial the new sport earlier in 2020 but came back to Australia recently because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"I think I got out [of the US] at a good time," Carl said. "I hadn't played any games yet, but hopefully I can go back in August when the season starts."

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