ALEX McKinnon couldn't tell you how many kilometres he has clocked up over the past 12 months since starting full-time at the Knights as the head of junior recruitment.
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It's a bit like the number of games he has watched during that time.
Five or six a week live and countless others on video. He currently has 50 kids in the club's under-15's program and he has seen every one of them play.
He can tell you that of the 140 kids in the junior system from under-14s to 20s, only 20 are from outside the area.
That's not to say that the former Aberdeen Tiger isn't afraid to import talent.
"I don't see it as bringing someone in to take a local kid's spot," he says.
"If the local kid sees it that way, then he is not going to make it.
"The local kid should be seeing it as a challenge to train harder and strive to be better so that he can go and beat him.
"That is the sort of competitive environment that I want at the club."
Inspiringly, McKinnon has driven himself to places as far afield as Ipswich in Queensland, Port Macquarie, Denman, to Maitland, to the Central Coast and all over Newcastle in search of talent.
"I've been up to Queensland three or four times now," he says.
"Watching footy is not a drain for me. I actually really enjoy it.
"And, it's very empowering for someone like myself because I'm physically able to do it."
While the immediate focus will be on new coach Adam O'Brien and his NRL squad when pre-season training kicks off in a couple of weeks, it is McKinnon who will ultimately play as big a role in the success of the club over the next decade. He doesn't take the responsibility lightly.
He loves the club and knows what it means to the town and wants to give back because of all the support he received during some really tough times.
In 2017, he worked part-time but his role was restricted.
"The club did more for me then what I gave in return," he says.
"They gave me structure, purpose and the chance to be around people in an environment that I really care about. It was more than just a job.
"But, then I had a year off and in that year, I got my licence and had a baby in October.
"In the middle of that, I did some Fox stuff and sat in on the footy committee just to learn. I can drive now which means I can do my job properly.
"That was a big thing for me to know that I could physically take on the role and do it properly. I've really loved this year."
McKinnon knows identification is only the start of the process.
"It's about developing those kids as individuals through our junior pathways," he says.
"That's not about footy structure - it's about defensive focus, it's about competing, it's about being respectful - all the qualities we want in our first grade team.
"The problem you have at that age is you get parents of kids who may not have been picked in certain positions in junior teams come up to you and say that we obviously don't rate their boy so we'll take him somewhere else.
"It's about having good communication with them so they know that irrespective of whether he has been picked or not initially, we are all about working with them to up-skill them and help make them the best player they can be so that they can potentially develop into a better player than the kid in front of them at the moment."
McKinnon admits his job is "not about my success and never will be".
"I just genuinely want our players, our fans and the community to have something special here because they have provided heaps for me at a time when I needed it," he says.
"I feel like this is my opportunity to be able to help them back and do it whole-heartedly without any physical limitations.
"We need to bring our own kids through because it gives confidence to the fans, confidence to Wests and confidence to our sponsors if we are doing that and ultimately, it will generate the success we are all craving."
McKinnon nominates five players to watch in 2020:
Tex Hoy: "He could definitely challenge for first grade next season".
Luke Huth: "He is everything this club is about".
Bayden Searle: "He is a ripper who is all about effort and tenacity".
Simi Sasagi: "There is no reason why he won't put pressure on the senior squad".
Jaron Purcell: "He's a lock out of the Jake Trbojevic mould.