He may be the son of the first North Queensland Cowboy, but Ben Spina remains grounded at the prospect of playing his second game in 2017 after a strong performance against the St George Illawarra Dragons last week.
Spina racked up 86 metres and a try in just 20 minutes of game time, but he was focussed only on doing his job and improving his performances.
"You enjoy every experience that you get, it's early in the season but sometimes it feels like you're waiting on an opportunity and it's just good to be out there," Spina said.
"Tries aren't rewards, it's just for the team and points on the board is just a part of the game.
"Every time you're out there you're doing a job, trying not to think about whether you're cementing a position, you just think of the 80 minutes ahead."
Spina was praised for giving the Cowboys the momentum when he came onto the field, and his stats indicate that the Cowboys interchanges did make the difference.
"You sort of think about it when you're about to go on, 'what can you bring to a team'," he said.
"And especially in a situation where the team's down you're expected to bring something. If it sparks something when you go out there it's probably the best thing for the team."
The Cowboys will be hopeful Spina continues to bring momentum off the bench, and they'll need it if they're to beat a desperate Newcastle Knights side on the weekend.
Coach Paul Green spoke about the threat the visitors pose, and their competitiveness in the 2017 Telstra Premiership.
"You can't take anyone easily in this competition, we've learned that the hard way a couple of times this year," Green said.
"They'll take plenty of confidence out of the games they've played so far. They've been in just about every game they've played.
"This week will be no different for us, we've got enough to worry about in our own backyard before we start taking anyone lightly or easily."
