He remarked this week that "if we could get someone to make the tackles in the men's side, you'd play her halfback", such is his opinion of the 17-year-old.

"But seriously, she has got as good a hands you will see in the game. When she passes the football, it's just a little thing, but the ball just pings out of the hands," Johns said on SEN Sydney radio.

"I've never met her, but I'd love to have a chat [about] where she learned her football. Whoever has taught her the game has done an incredible job."

In the footsteps of older sister Hannah, Southwell began playing rugby league with the boys at Kotara Bears. She went to Wests Rosellas and also spent time with Central Newcastle.

Back then, she was not the livewire No.7 or crafty rugby sevens player of today.

"I grew up playing as a second-rower with the boys," Southwell told the Newcastle Herald.

"I was told to just run straight and run hard.

"I didn't really have very many ball skills, I wasn't very good in that area.

"I couldn't really tackle either, I was nothing like Hannah. She was fearless, I was not."

But on Sunday, Southwell will be at the helm as Newcastle's chief playmaker when the Knights take on the Parramatta Eels in what is a maiden grand final for both clubs in only their second NRLW campaigns.

It will be another incredible feat for the young Cameron Park product, who won a gold medal playing rugby sevens for Australia at the Commonwealth Games only a few weeks before the NRLW season began.

While Matty Johns was joking about Southwell lining up in the men's side, it might be her time playing against the boys and her interest in the men's game that is the most significant factor in her development.

"I wanted to be just like the boys," Southwell said.

"There was some really good boys that I grew up playing with here in Newy, so I wanted to be just like them.

"To be honest, I wanted to be better than the boys.

"I still do. Watching those boys and the NRL as I grew up was the big one for me. I watched a lot of footy."

Southwell wasn't even born when the Johns brothers steered the Knights to their first men's premiership in 1997, nor when the club claimed its second in 2001, but Andrew has helped her at stages throughout this year and has just as high opinion of the halfback as his brother.

Put Matty's comments to Southwell and she finds it difficult to pinpoint "who taught her the game". She credits a variety of mentors.

"My dad helped me out a lot. He was kind of ruthless to me, and with me, which was a good thing," Southwell said. "But it's come from a lot of different people.

"Even my basketball coaches, cricket coaches, teachers at school - they've all had such an impact on me and the way I am at the moment. I don't think there's one particular [person].

"Obviously Hannah was a big influence, she was very, very big growing up because I wanted to be just like her."

Southwell, who had to be cleared by NRL boss Andrew Abdo to represent the Knights because she is not yet 18, has had to play without Hannah since round one after she suffered a season-ending knee injury.

But the former Hunter Sports High School student has looked at home in the NRLW from her first touch, scoring a try on debut and notching five try-assists in her past three games.

"The physicality is a very big difference," she said.

"I remember after the first game I woke up and it felt like I had been hit by a truck.

"Mentally it's very challenging. To see what those girls do week-in, week-out - 70 minutes is a long time to keep your head in the game and get above your opponent. It's been a big change, but I've really enjoyed it."

Southwell felt nervous before her side's 30-6 semi-final win over the Dragons on Sunday but said the reality of playing in the decider "hadn't really sunk in yet".

The Knights' closest result this season came against their grand final opponents in round three when they snatched a late 18-16 victory.

"It was a grind. They were a tough side," Southwell said of the Eels. "They will be even better this weekend. They've improved out of sight.

"I think it will be really tough in the middle.

"But I think that's where it will be won and lost in the middle, and execution off the back of it, which is our jobs as outside-backs so hopefully we can get that done."

MORE IN SPORT:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: