Mackay product Emma Manzelmann considers herself one of the lucky ones.
An apprentice mechanic back home, the 20-year-old rake has been able to put her job on hold to rejoin the Knights for the club's second NRLW campaign.
While some NRLW players, especially those who relocate, have to leave jobs to take part in the competition, or are restricted to working roles outside of footy that allow them to play, Manzelmann has been able to take the required two to three months leave from her hometown apprenticeship.
"They are pretty good," she said of her employer.
"My boss is the head of women's rugby league in Mackay, and his daughter plays for the Titans - Jasmine Peters - so it's easy.
"I just say I need this time off. I put my apprenticeship on hold until I go back.
"I know [teammates] Romy [Teitzel] and Tily [Tahlulah Tillett] almost lost their jobs, or did lose their jobs, because we got stuck down here last year [due to COVID].
"Obviously as the season gets longer, more teams come in and the money increases - it will become easier. But that's still a while away."
Manzelmann, who was part of Newcastle's squad in their inaugural campaign earlier this year, is pumped for the upcoming season, due to begin with a home game against Brisbane Broncos on Sunday, August 21.
The crafty dummy-half played a utility role last season, coming off the bench in four games. She did start in the side's last fixture after the more experienced No.9 Krystal Rota departed early.
Following the winless campaign, she returned home to play in the Queensland competition.
Her team, the North Queensland Gold Stars, won the premiership.
"It was good to get the winning feeling back," she said.
Manzelmann, player of the match in the grand final, had another standout season as the starting hooker. In seven apperances, she scored three tries and set-up five more.
The Knights have recruited Olivia Higgins, who played dummy-half in the title-winning Sydney Roosters side last season, but Manzelmann hopes to stake her claims to wear the No.9 over the coming weeks in training.
"I'm just grateful if you get to pull the jersey on every week, no matter whether you're starting or on the bench," she said.
"You've just got to take every opportunity with both hands and see where it takes you.
"[Knights coach] Ronny [Griffiths] has said there are no real starting roles [guaranteed], it's just whoever works the hardest in preseason and showcases the best footy.
"Last season it was more like, we see Krystal as starting [and] you're back-up. But this year it is open slather, whoever is training the best, working the hardest."
Manzelmann has enjoyed training alongside the club's new recruits, the likes of Origin stars Millie Boyle and Hannah Southwell.
"You can tell they're the big dogs of the team," she said. "They're the ones that talk the most. They bring a lot of not new, but eye-opening things that they do."
