The nib Newcastle Knights’ forward pack will be something to keep an eye on in 2018, with a mix of young hopefuls and experienced heads coming to the Club.
With 2017 being his breakout year, second rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon hopes to again be able to consolidate his spot in the starting NRL side.
“It's going to be very exciting times come Round 1 when the team starts to shape,” said Fitzgibbon.
“People will get an idea of where they’re going to be playing and the combinations that are going to strike up off the back of it.”
The 23-year-old will have plenty of competition in the forward pack with the likes of Herman Ese’ese, Jacob Lillyman, Aidan Guerra and Chris Heighington all vying for a spot in the starting 13.
“It's exciting… there’s a few boys that haven’t started training yet but have been around and have come in and said g’day,” said Fitzgibbon.
“We have a few more boys coming after the World Cup so it's a bit of a roster overhaul.
“My goal is to hopefully play Round 1 and cement my spot in and around that team for the 25 rounds.”
Fitzgibbon said he knows how important it is to get his fitness in check for the start of the 2018 season.
“I definitely need to get my fitness up,” he said.
“Getting back to peak fitness is always a goal for everyone and also getting a bit stronger in the gym... so it can hopefully pay dividends out on the field."
