Isaiah Papalii

But that has only left the 18-year-old forward hungry for more.

Called into action in the 48th-minute for injured back-rower Simon Mannering, Papalii suffered an early setback when he and Bodene Thompson were unable to stop a barnstorming Jack Stockwell close to the try-line, which kick-started the Knights' ultimately unsuccessful comeback.

That was the case with 18-year-old Warriors prop Isaiah Papalii, who spent last season playing rugby union for his Mt Albert Grammar school on top of playing 11 Holden Cup matches for the Junior Warriors when it didn't clash with his school commitments.