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0 Newcastle Knights coach Adam O’Brien has explained the “uncanny” resemblance between star debutant David Armstrong and club icon Darren Albert after a special jersey presentation.
Albert, who scored the winning try in the Knights’ 1997 grand final victory, was on hand to present Armstrong his debut jersey after he was picked to replace Kalyn Ponga at fullback.
Armstrong, who is a Moree product, seriously impressed for the Knights in their win over the Dolphins, scoring the opening try.
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O’Brien suggested there’s plenty of similarities between his new and exciting fullback and the club legend.
“He’s a little bit uncanny, stuff happens around Davey,” he told the media post-game.
“We actually had Darren Albert present him his jersey and we spoke around how stuff happens around Albie, that try (in the ’97 grand final), so Davey just pushing up on the inside of players was pretty fitting that we got him to present that jersey to Davey because he’s got that ability.
“I know in the first half he kicked on play two but I don’t want to strip that out of him because you’re going to have your hair pulling moments from him but a fair few where you stand and clap him as well.
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“I don’t want to get carried away, it’s his first game but he did a hell of a job for us. (I’m) proud of him.”
While the debutant was impressive, the Knights coach did concede the fullback was “nervous” pre-game.
Much of that could be put down to a horror preparation for the 23-year-old.
“I was nervous the whole week,” Armstrong told 9news post-game.
“I woke up at 1 o’clock this morning and had a light sleep all the way up until we had to go to brekky.”
