Lucas locks eyes on Knights vacant back-row spot

Knights rookie Dylan Lucas is hoping his first full pre-season as a dedicated forward will stand him in good stead to claim the club's vacant back row spot.

Originally a winger or centre – where he played coming through Newcastle's reserve-grade side – Lucas transitioned to the second row full-time last season and ended up as a starting player for the club's semi-final clash with the Warriors, in place of the injured Lachlan Fitzgibbon. 

With his days as a utility done and dusted and his future confirmed to be in the pack, the 23-year-old is hoping to become a permanent fixture in coach Adam O'Brien's side now that Fitzgibbon has departed the club for the Super League. 

"I've got the pre-season where I can solely focus on the back row; that's where I want to be this year," Lucas said.

I am enjoying it. It was obviously new to me last season and there was a lot of learning there and a lot of stuff for me to work on this [coming] season.

Dylan Lucas

"My goal will be to be in that 17 playing first grade week in, week out."

Lucas' chances of being on the field for the club's season-opener against the Raiders were further strengthened earlier this month when it was confirmed off-season recruit and fellow back-rower Kai Pearce-Paul needed surgery on a toe injury, which will likely mean he misses the start of the new campaign. 

Should Bega-born Lucas be successful in snaring the open back-row spot, he is set to form a partnership with close friend Bradman Best.

Off-contract at the end of 2024, Best had a career-best season in 2023, which included making his Origin debut and scoring 13 tries as part of a potent Newcastle left edge. 

"I love playing with Bradman, he is one of my closest mates... It'll be very exciting for us to play together," Lucas said. 

"Braddy has come back in great nick as well and that just shows his mindset this year.

"He is ready to rip in and I can't wait to see what he has got in store this year."

Best wasn't the only Newcastle player who impressed on the first day of testing at McDonald Jones Stadium this week, with forward Mat Croker telling media that 90 percent of those who took part achieved personal best numbers. 

."Once we got knocked out [of the finals last season] everyone was in here pretty quick because I think we didn't really want it to end," Croker said. 

"We haven't really stopped and I think that showed with how well the boys ran and how well all our testing has gone.

"I think that's a good sign because we want to keep chasing what we created last year. 

"Day one is aways a real good indicator of what everyone has done over the break and how they feel about what happened in the season previous."