Connor Watson was a Newcastle fan as a kid.
Like most Knights supporters, Andrew Johns was his idol.
Long before Watson arrived at the Knights, the five-eighth was a grommet running around the Central Coast and as fate would have it, their paths crossed multiple times.
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In fact, before the No.6 pulled on the red and blue, he was a footy obsessed kid who struck up a friendship with the eighth immortal.
"There's a pretty funny story with Joey, I think it was his manager, had a holiday house in Avoca. He lived in one of those houses where he shared a drive way," Watson told The Locker Room podcast.
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"His mangers house was three houses down in Avoca. Every arvo we'd be down the oval kicking goals and Joey, whenever he was in town, he would come and stay there. As soon as he was in town, everyone would know.
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"I used to go to his managers house, knock on the door and ask if Joey was home.
"He asked me at the Roosters where he's halves coach 'were you one of those little kids who used to come and knock on the door' and I was like 'yeah, that was me'.
"I'd go over there and talk to him and pass the ball with him."
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A Knights junior before moving to Sydney and later linking with the Roosters, Watson started supporting the Club as a five-year-old.
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The 22-year-old recalls attending the 2001 grand final with his family and it was on that day, September 30, that Watson became a fan.
"All my family went for Parramatta," Watson said.
"Both sides and before we got on the train, I was like 'stuff you guys, I'm going against you'. I went for Newcastle and my cousin reckons I was going for them after the game.
"It was on the train up. I grew up loving Joey. Kurt Gidley was another favourite of mine."
