Dolphins forward and potential captain Tom Gilbert has revealed he will aim to make his return to the field in the final trial game for the club.
The forward hasn't played a competitive game since the middle of 2023.
There he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the State of Origin series during what was the Dolphins' inaugural season.
A hammer blow for the expansion franchise, that was then compounded during the 2024 pre-season when he suffered an ACL injury during a game in Auckland.
He suffered a blood clot on the flight home which delayed his surgery for a number of months, but he is now on track to be fit for Round 1.
"The plan is to get a few minutes in the last trial [against the Gold Coast Titans in Redcliffe] and then I'll be good to go," Gilbert said on his return per NRL.com.
"I'm just grateful it is finally coming to an end and I can look forward to playing some football again."
Gilbert, who was in the top ten for run metres and tackles at QLD Cup level the season before he made his NRL debut for the North Queensland Cowboys, has played 58 NRL games despite the major injuries before he turned 24 last August.
To go with that, he has also made two appearances for the Queensland side at State of Origin level and could be a certain selection for Billy Slater in the 2025 series should he return and find form quickly.
It's widely tipped Gilbert will need to find that form while taking over the captaincy for the NRL's 17th team, with Jesse Bromwich retiring at the end of 2024 and ending his lead of the club.
Kristian Woolf's side start their season against old coach Wayne Bennett and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Sydney.
