KURT Mann hasn't given much thought to Sunday's elimination final potentially being his last game for the Newcastle Knights.
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He's hoping to make another four appearances.
But the 30-year-old knows what's at stake - there will be no second chances from here on in, and a loss to the Canberra Raiders would be the end of his Knights career.
"From now on, any of the games could be my last," Mann told the Newcastle Herald.
"Every game, this could be the last I play for the Knights and I will 100 per cent be leaving everything out there if I get the chance.
"This club has done a lot of for me. I probably consider this place my home, really.
"I come here when I was 17, 18 and done a three-year stint here, and then left and found my way back.
"I think I've done a total of nine years here. It's pretty much like home."
Mann, who grew up in Winton, was given an on-field farewell alongside other departing Knights after the last home game of the regular season, the 32-6 win over Cronulla.
He hopes to make a decision on his next move in coming weeks, but for now is fully focused on trying to return from injury.
Against South Sydney on August 20, Mann took heavy contact to his ribs and has been forced to miss Newcastle's past two games.
He is on the mend, but is in some doubt to feature against the Raiders in what is expected to be another sold-out clash at McDonald Jones Stadium.
"I'm going to try and train [Tuesday]. If I get through that I should be right to go," he said, speaking on Monday at recovery session at Dixon Park beach.
"I feel pretty confident.
"I think I should get through ... but we'll just have to wait and see."
A 176-game player, Mann's experience and utility value would be invaluable for the Knights in the do-or-die match, even more so because Kalyn Ponga (shoulder) and Jackson Hastings (leg) could go into the game carrying, or coming off, injuries.
Fa'amanu Brown was the the side's utility the week after Mann got injured, and in the absence of rested rake Phoenix Crossland, started at hooker in Saturday's 32-12 win over the Dragons.
But Mann can cover far more positions, and had played 10 consecutive games in the No. 14 role prior to his injury, which has been a frustrating one to deal with.
"I landed on my side and someone landed on top of me perfectly. It just squashed me inwards," Mann said.
"I played another 10 minutes with it, but after I cooled down it was terrible.
"I couldn't sleep, I had to sleep on my back and couldn't move around.
"The physios have done a good job.
"I'm freeing up now."
The utility has been unable to get a pain-killing injection into part of the injured area to play because it is above his heart.
"I probably won't get that part of my ribs needled, I think I'm more likely to get my SC [sternoclavicular] joint needled," he said. "It's up near your collarbone where there is not really a risk in getting that done. My rib pain, over my heart, has kind of settled."
Mann, who made a preliminary final with Melbourne in 2015 and a semi-final with the Dragons in 2018, believes the Knights are better placed than 2020 and 2021, when they were eliminated in week-one of the finals.
"I don't think we had a lot of finals experience in those teams," he said. "This year, we're going into it with some pretty good footy under out belt, and pretty consistent footy. This team is definitely way better equipped to make a push into the finals."
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