Second chance: Shaun Kenny-Dowall joins the Newcastle Knights at a training session on Wednesday. Credit:Jonathan Carroll "I have to take individual responsibility and ownership for my actions. "I didn't make the right choices. I'm in an environment where there are a lot of young kids and they will be looking to me, so I have to have the right behaviour and attitude to be a role model and leader at the club. "I made some bad choices on that night that I'm going to have to live with forever. "It wasn't ideal circumstances, but I'm trying to put it behind me and learn from it."

Hair follicle testing revealed Kenny-Dowall had no drugs in his system and the Knights opted to throw the former New Zealand international a lifeline. He is determined to repay the faith shown in him by coach Nathan Brown and become a leader for a young squad. "I'm going to have to earned their respect," Kenny-Dowall said. "It's not the ideal way to come to a club and it will be done through a period of time doing the right thing through my actions. "Even after the incident, Brownie had a genuine interest in helping me through a tough time. He really supported me, was always on the phone checking how I was. "They have thrown me a lifeline for two-and-a-half years and I will do everything in my power to earn their respect."

Kenny-Dowall hasn't played since the round-nine loss to the Warriors in what was his 224th and last game for the Roosters. He made special mention of renowned speed coach Roger Fabri for keeping him fit and focused during a difficult period. "Rog has been a good friend of mine for eight or nine years now," he said. "Every time I train with him he gets the best out of me, he takes me to levels of fitness you can't reach just when you train with an NRL squad." Kenny-Dowall officially joined the Knights this week but a hamstring injury will likely sideline him until round 20, meaning his first match for his new club will likely be against his old one. "How uncanny that would be," he said. "It would be good to get it out of the way nice and early, it will be pretty emotional. "I've run onto Allianz Stadium more than 100 times. To do it in different colours will be pretty tough, but in saying that I'm really excited to start the next chapter. I've got to do it sooner or later so I may as well get it out of the way early.

"It really did take a lot for [getting sacked] to sink it. It was very disappointing given the circumstances, it's not the ideal way to leave a place after you've been there for 13 years of your career. "That's something I'm going to have to live with for the rest of my life, something I'm not proud of. "I've had to come to terms with it quickly and move on with this positive direction up here with the Knights."