Ennis has a reputation among rivals as one of the most irritating players in the game, because of his fiercely competitive nature and a knack of never being far away from any fiery exchanges.

Opposing No.9 Matt Hilder described Ennis as "a bit of a grub", and Knights coach Rick Stone said his players were preparing for the 25-year-old Valentine-Eleebana junior to be in their ear at every opportunity in Newcastle's first NRL game since former forwards Chris Houston and Danny Wicks were charged with supplying illicit drugs.

But Ennis said his competitive streak was often misinterpreted, by opponents and the media, and he was not the stirrer he was portrayed as.

"I certainly compete in terms of the game of footy, but I certainly wouldn't stoop to anything like that," Ennis told The Herald last night.

"It's none of my business what's happened in Newcastle, and I certainly wouldn't be going into any game to try and verbally . . . Look, I'm a grown man. I have morals and credentials and I don't ever go into that side of things.

"For people to try and put me in that sort of bracket, it's very disappointing because they probably don't even know who I am.

"Years ago, I wouldn't be worried but I would obviously have been concerned if someone had said that I was a grub or I was a big sledger or whatever, but now I couldn't give two hoots mate, because they don't even know who I am.

"It's easy for them to run with it so I just let them go.

"Mate, I'm that focused on my game of footy and what my role is in this Canterbury side that I don't have time to go into a game thinking about sledging blokes or trying to personally attack blokes.

"It's the furthest thing from my mind and as I said, people that try to judge me like that, they need to come and spend a week around me and this footy team and then they'll see the real me and what attention to detail and discipline I show towards my footy and this team."

Ennis, who has succeeded retired superboot Hazem El Masri as Canterbury's goalkicker this season, said the Bulldogs had enjoyed a settled pre-season preparation and been impressive in their trials.

He said coach Kevin Moore and captain Andrew Ryan had warned the Bulldogs, who have endured their own share of crises, to expect the Knights to be fired up by their tumultuous off-season.