18-year-old Mitchell Black enjoyed a promising 2019 season and will look to build on this in the upcoming season.
He was the starting hooker in the NSW Under-18’s side and coach Michael Ennis said of the youngster: “Really watched closely being a dummy-half he holds the ruck really well and he's got great anticipation around the ruck and can put blokes in behind the ruck and create momentum.”
Black began playing Rugby League with the Taree Panthers before he was selected to play in the premiership-winning Newcastle Knights Harold Matthews team in 2017.
In 2018, he played SG Ball with the Knights and represented NSW Combined Catholic Colleges from St Clare's High School in Taree.
He continued his run with Newcastle in SG Ball in 2019, where they only won three out of their nine games but made his Jersey Flegg debut in Round 15, playing about 25 minutes and making a longer appearance in Round 21.
The skilful dummy half was selected in the 2019 Under-18s Australian Schoolboys side who played a one-off Test match against the New Zealand under-19s side and won 36-20.
Black was also named as one of 16 Future Blues that participated in a two-day camp in preparation for Origin next year at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence in December. At the camp, he was guided by the likes of Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler alongside two of his fellow Knights in Bradman Best and Jonah Pezet.
Luke Huth was the starting hooker and Captain for much of the Knight’s Jersey Flegg season, so Black will be battling with him for a starting spot in the side come next year.
