Nathan Mason will head to St Helens tonight knowing his Huddersfield Giants teammates will be backing him all the way.
And the 21-year-old prop fully expects to mark his second Super League appearance in three years by playing a part in a highly-significant Huddersfield victory.
Mason admits his all-round game has improved beyond all recognition since he made his top-flight debut in a makeshift side at Bradford Bulls a week after the Giants had clinched the 2013 Super League Leaders Shield.
His development has been helped by playing on dual registration at hometown Kingstone Press League I club Oldham.
But it’s the support he’ll get on the night from his Giants teammates that will bring the very best out of him in front of the Sky TV cameras.
“It’s a pretty big game to be playing in,” said Mason, who admits the advice he receives from former Great Britain prop and Giants head coach Paul Anderson has proved invaluable in terms of his progress.
“In the battle to strengthen our place in the top four it’s absolutely massive.
“But that’s something that really excites me. To be honest, the fact the coaching staff have the faith in me to consider me for a match of this importance has given me a huge boost in confidence.
“It’s now up to me to repay that faith. I want to do well for the coaches, and I obviously also want to do well for the rest of the team.
“The support the rest of the boys have given me since I was picked has been amazing. They all seem genuinely chuffed for me.
“At the same time, they’ve also been giving me stick – especially about being in the limelight and doing interviews like this!
“But I know that when it comes to the crunch ahead of the game the mucking about will stop.
“Instead, they’ll all be right by my side, giving me all the support and backing I need.
“We’ve always been a very close-knit group – and the help you get from the senior boys at training on a daily basis is unbelievable – and I know that will prove vital tomorrow night.
“As the season’s gone on and the wins have kept on coming, I think the spirit and the togetherness in the squad has become even stronger.
“And that’s given me extra confidence for this game, because I know all the boys are going to be right behind me 100%”
Confirmation of Mason’s role won’t be known until an hour before kick-off, although it’s expected he’ll take the bench spot filled by Anthony Mullally during Sunday’s 32-14 home win over Hull KR.
