This season the 23 year old will further his career with a move to the Newcastle district first grade competition without severing ties with the club he grew up in.

He is one of the first players to take advantage of a new partnership between the Terrace, playing in the Maitland District Cricket competition, and Newcastle club Stockton.

Jenkinson and left-arm bowler Joseph Collins are expected to join the newly-titled Stockton Raymond Terrace Cricket Club in Newcastle's top grade, while an undecided number will make the same transition in three lower grades.

Jenkinson was a part of the Terrace side that ended an 11-year drought to win a Maitland first grade premiership last season and he skippered the side the previous year.

The former Maitland Colts captain is optimistic about his move.

"We have trained with the Stockton guys over the last couple of weeks and they seem like a good bunch of blokes," Jenkinson said.

But he is also bracing for a rise in the standard of the game.

"The few times we have played against Newcastle sides you've been able to see there is definitely a difference in the standard," he said.

The partnership was intended to give Raymond Terrace players a leg-up to gaining experience in the superior Newcastle competition.

But it will also work strongly in favour of a Stockton club in need of new talent.

"We could always do with some more players...this opens us up to the whole region," Stockton president Ron Hancock said.

"I would have been a bit concerned [about player numbers] but this has just been great for us.

"It is always nice to get some new first graders, but I am more concerned about getting more lower grade guys, some young guys...which will help the long-term future of the club."

Raymond Terrace president Guy Marks was also optimistic about the patnership, saying it could draw more players to the club with a view to eventually breaking into the Stockton Raymond Terrace side.

Two Stockton Raymond Terrace home games are expected to be held at King Park as part of the new program.

The club will commence training at its Lynn Oval home at Stockton from September 9.

Players interested in playing with Stockton Raymond Terrace should call Hancock on 0407 001384.

Alternatively to register for the Raymond Terrace club intending players need to call Shane Riley on 0448 529 194.