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Josh King in action at a Melbourne Storm training session.Credit:Getty Images

The former Newcastle Knights prop has quickly made a place for himself at the Storm,and he arrives at the ideal time with the club’s celebrated forward pack is in the midst of renewal after losing co-captain Dale Finucane in the off-season,and withJesse Bromwich,Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi leaving at the end of this campaign.

King is listed to start as a prop in Sunday’s trial game against the Knights at Mars Stadium,Ballarat,and the 26-year-old is shaping as a likely opening-round selection.

King admits his NRL career has been modest,so he jumped on an offer from the Storm with the aim of embracing all that Bellamy,Bromwich and others have to teach him and then turn that into a regular first-grade position.

As soon as he arrived in Melbourne,King was sent on the Storm’s two-week work program where newcomers train at5am,work in a labouring job and train in the afternoon.

Unlike those who have only worked in rugby league,King is already a qualified electrician,having completed his apprenticeship while coming through the grades at the Knights. He worked in a mine in Singleton,an hour outside of Newcastle,until he had to turn his focus to football.

King also shone at the Storm’s annual “I don’t quit” three-day camp,claiming the man-of-the-camp award.

“I wanted to put my best foot forward and prove in my first showing that I have what it takes to play for this club,” King said.

“We started with training on Monday morning and pretty much had no sleep until 11am or midday on Wednesday when we finished.

“One of the things that stuck out the most was on the Tuesday night we had a silent march for probably three hours where we walked around this dirt track with 20-kilogram packs on,and it was like a race,but you couldn’t run,just had to march,go as hard as you can for as long as you can.

“That was really mentally draining to try and keep up a consistent pace to push yourself against all the other boys.

“Then we were spaced out in the bush and had to stand on guard like you were protecting the area we were camping in - I don’t know how long we were out there,but it was until the sunrise,and you were just alone with your thoughts.

“You were seeing a few hallucinations in the bushes but once you see the sun come up,it’s pretty rewarding and a relief.”

In Newcastle,King was known for making hospital visits and performing community service,and he hopes to continue that in Melbourne once he understands what he can and can’t do around COVID-19 protocols.

King has embraced the simplified roles at the Storm and worked closely with premiership winners like Jesse Bromwich and Christian Welch to nail down his role.

“It’s too early to talk about round one when we still have a trial to play,” King said.

“I just hope that I can perform my role. The coaches just give you a simple job and you go out there and do that. It’s not out of your reach,not out of your capabilities. I hope that I can perform my role and help get a few wins on the board.”

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