League: Knights shift sure beats night shift chicken feed

When Otahuhu centre George Carmont shifted to Newcastle he was seeking a better wage, a start in life and a deposit for a house when he returned to South Auckland.

He's done better than that, taking chances given him by injury and grabbing the opportunity to become a regular in the Knights backline, missing only one game since his debut in round two 2004.

He originally went over after brother Stuart, who was already transplanted, told him there was a vacancy at the NSW Country club Raymond Terrace.

The club, which is coached by former Warriors lock Scott Coxon, also arranged a job at the local chicken-processing plant where he worked three night shifts as a cleaner to make up a wage better than that he was getting in Auckland.

Another centre Raymond Terrace was looking at broke his ankle and Carmont seized his chance. Much the same thing happened at the Knights as injury took Mark Hughes then Matt Gidley out of the frame. Carmont has now played 27 NRL games.

"I was thinking about a change and we had a two-to-three year plan to come back to New Zealand. I'm still aiming to come home because I'm a home boy but it might take a while longer," he said. His family enjoy the lifestyle close to the beach, which has made things much easier.

The mid-fielder has a deceptively fast loping run and is usually solid on defence, despite taking a hammering from the Cowboys as the Knights lost game three of the four they've stumbled through this season.

Carmont said the mood in the camp was sharp and determined.

"There was a lot of talk before the last game [lost 37-12 to Souths at Gosford] and it came to nothing, we didn't come through. This week there was a lot of looking at each other, looking for some responsibility, and we all knew we had to take a hard look at ourselves too and do better.

"We had a team talk on Tuesday about it and then it was back to business and it felt like a new beginning. It's now or never for us."

Carmont has one more season on his contract at the Knights and will go with the flow, fitness allowing. "I'd like to stay here as long as I can, maybe I'll try England if that doesn't work out, but I'll get what I can out of football while the body holds up," he said.

"It beats working in a chicken factory."