Newcastle Knights coach, Wayne Bennett has picked Willie Mason to play against the Panthers at Hunter Stadium on Monday night.
In his first media apprearance since signing with the club, Mason said playing for the Knights was a childhood dream.
“I’m very happy and very privileged to be playing with the Knights this week, it’s something I have always wanted to do as a child and I get to do it this week, so very pumped, very happy just to be back out and training with the boys and just the camaraderie thing that I miss and finally I get to play on Monday.”
It comes after Mason’s impressive performance in the New South Wales Cup clash against Illawarra on Sunday.
After the match Mason said he was ready for an immediate return to first grade, and yesterday trained with the first grade squad.
Mason last week signed with the Knights for the rest of the 2012 season.
