The last time Kevin Walters graced a footy field back in 2001, Knights five-eighth Jarrod Mullen was just 14 and in the infancy of his high school days in Newcastle at St Francis Xavier.
Plenty has changed since the start of the new millennium, some 13 years in fact, but Mullen still has vivid childhood memories of watching Walters run around for Brisbane, Queensland and Australia.
Whether it was with the company of mates or from the comfort of his family home, he fondly recalls Friday Night Footy or Origin and the sight of Kevie terrorising his opponents with what seemed like ease.
Mullen's always been a big fan of Walters' work, so you can understand why he is so excited to link with the rugby league great in his new role at the Club as a halves coach.
He has also seen the Bronco legend help mould the likes of Cooper Cronk at the Storm and he can't wait to see similar improvements in his own game.
“Kev looked like he has been here for a while,” Mullen told Knights TV after Walters' first training session on Thursday.
“He has definitely got a lot of knowledge of the game and I remember growing up watching him.
“He was such a great player.
“Wayne told us he has won all these grand finals (four) and it's some sort of record, so he knows how to win one and hopefully he can take my game to another level.
"I’m really excited to be working with him, because he definitely steered Melbourne in the right direction.
“They are probably one of the most consistent sides in the comp, especially there halves who are playing good football week-in and week-out.
"It’s great to have him here at Newcastle and hopefully he can improve all our games."
If Walters' opening training session was anything to gauge, the Knights can expect plenty of full-on yet extremely beneficial training sessions in 2014.
From teaching the halves about how to pass a football properly under pressure to running the right lines to draw a defender, Mullen was highly impressed by the plan put in place by the now retired playmaker.
"It’s all stuff that is simple, but those are the things that you probably get away from," he says frankly.
“You know, just catching and passing, reading the plays and taking the ball to the line.
“It just reiterates what you need to do as a half."
It's a message Mullen will no doubt hear from Walters at training every day.
