Danny Buderus never really had a keen interest to coach once his illustrious career came to an end.
The former New South Wales and Australian hooker doesn't know if he wants to become a career coach even now.
However, the recently appointed Knights assistant coach has found himself on the other side of the clipboard just one year into his retirement.
While the Knights' sheds and training facilities remain the same, Buderus's transformation from player to coach is still a huge change of scenery for the Newcastle legend and one that is taking some getting used to.
"Everything has its challenges and you see things differently going from a player to a coach so it has been a bit of an education process which I've really enjoyed," Buderus told NRL.com.
"I never thought or saw myself as a coach. To say that I want to be a career coach, I'm not sure yet. I'm still very much undecided. It's a volatile industry. But I'm enjoying it at the moment and learning how it all works.
"I've always enjoyed the battle of the game and understanding how you can plot a formula to take down the opposition so I know I'll definitely enjoy that part of it moving forward."
His love for the Knights meant that he couldn't exactly say no to returning coach Rick Stone upon being asked to pick up the coaching reins full-time.
After playing all 257 of his NRL games at the club and acting as a sporadic consultant, to go with his experience as assistant coach of the Country Origin team under Trent Barrett last season, Buderus found no reason not to help the club he adores.
"I love the game but I also love the club and I want to see it do well and any way I can help out I'll do it," Buderus said.
"It's a whole different ball game when you're coaching and not playing. You have a lot of responsibility where before when you're playing it's the story of worrying about yourself and how you're playing.
"But as time goes by and as your career winds down you still want to give back to the game a little bit and all of a sudden you might find yourself in a role where you have a lot of responsibility as I have."
Having been coached by a vast number of highly-credentialed mentors, Buderus said his past experiences have seen his transition to coaching become all the more easier.
Coming under the tutelage of coaches such as Wayne Bennett, Brian Smith, Warren Ryan, Michael Hagan and former New Zealand Test coach Brian McClennan, Buderus's point cannot be denied.
"When I look back on my career, I've been coached by a lot of good coaches and a lot of detailed coaches," Buderus said.
"They have had a lot of great strengths which has allowed me to sit back and work out what parts I've learnt off them and try and formulate something which I think can help move the group I have around me forward."
Now only just four weeks out from the season's commencement, Buderus has found his niche in the coaching staff.
As Stone and fellow assistant coach Craig Sandercock focus on other aspects of the team, Buderus said his focal point of mentoring lies in looking after the middle of the ruck and the club's hookers – including Adam Clydsdale, Chad Redman and Danny Levi.
Thinking back, Buderus said while he always respected his coaches, he has since given them a little bit of extra admiration considering his new role.
"You always feel like there's not enough time in the sessions to get everything done so that means there's always a bit of planning and a lot of scheduling," Buderus said.
"That part of it is something you take for granted as a player, because you just turn up to train, so as a coach there's a lot of work that goes into it."
