Round 3 will see the Newcastle Knights unearth exciting youngster Tex Hoy in the No. 1 jersey.
Hoy will fill the boots of superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga, who must serve a one-match suspension handed down from Round 2.
"It will be Tex Hoy, Tex will start at fullback," Knights coach Adam O'Brien told foxsports.com.au on Wednesday.
"Based on his time trial today I think Tex has got a really good idea [he will be playing].
"He was outstanding with his running today and from all reports he has trained himself while on his own in the last five weeks, left no stone unturned.
"I've had conversations around it, without completely confirming it... I think our group knows.
"He's earned it, he's trained really hard.
The 20-year-old was promoted from the Knight's development list to the top squad a week before the season kicked off. Hoy was picked up by the Knights when he was 14 years old and is the son of local surfing legend Matt Hoy.
Knights legend Kurt Gidley plays in the same touch football team as Tex Hoy. Gidley likened him to Kalyn Ponga, who is seen as one of the best young players in rugby league.
"I'm great mates with his old man and, with all of us being Merewether locals, have always been playing in the same touch footy side for about five years," Gidley told The Daily Telegraph in the pre-season.
"And watching the way Tex keeps improving, I'm really proud of him. As you saw at the Nines, he's got great footwork.
"Actually, with his build, footwork and speed, he really is out of that Kalyn Ponga mould."
In the pre-season, Newcastle great Matty Johns tipped Hoy to win the No.6 jumper at the Knights.
"One of the things that goes for Tex is the fact that Adam was the attack coach not just at the Rooster but at Melbourne, and the year they won it he and Craig made the decision to put [Cameron] Munster into six with Billy [Slater] coming back," Johns told foxsports.com.au.
"So he's got a history, his style of coaching is he likes big, robust No.6s that can run the football, and that's Tex."
