Connor Watson's days as a versatile 'Mr Fix-it' maybe be about to come to an end with Knights coach Adam O'Brien ready to hand him the task of turbo-charging Newcastle's forward pack in 2021.
Back running again after a ruptured Achilles tendon against the Bulldogs in late July abruptly ended his season, Watson is eyeing off the No.13 jersey and a middle forward's role as part of a revamped Knights attack next season to try to take advantage of the NRL's new rules.
Watson, who has been largely used as a utility off the bench and a back-up hooker over the past few seasons, confirmed he has spoken to O'Brien about the positional change and will be training there in the New Year.
"Yeah, Adz [O'Brien] and I have had a chat about it and it will definitely suit me," Watson said. "The little guy in the middle can play an important role the way the game is going now. But the first priority is to get the body right."
Watson revealed he has been back running for two weeks but recognises he needs to be patient.
"It's been pretty steady stuff to start with just to get load back into the tendon," he said. "I'm just starting to do a bit of change of direction stuff and it's feeling really strong. But I've got to be mindful of not doing too much too soon which is the frustrating part because I want to be back out there with all the other boys."
Part of the process of turning Watson into a middle is also putting on some added bulk. In the past, he has usually played at 86 to 87kg but the coach wants him around 90kg or slightly above to handle the new role.
"Yeah, I've been eating more - adding a meal a day to what I'd normally eat," he said. "I lost a lot of bulk post surgery so I've been steadily building that back up.
"Kalyn [Ponga] is doing the same so there is definitely more food in our house than normal. I'm around 89 to 90kg but I've got to be careful of putting more stress on the Achilles with the extra weight. The physios are telling me to slow down and not overdo it."
Watson, who has been working remotely with a movement specialist from New Zealand to improve his running technique in a bid to end his run of injuries, expects to be back to peak fitness by the end of January.
The positional switch, if successful, will potentially have some big ramifications for teammates.
With Kangaroos back-rower Tyson Frizell linking with the club, it could see dual Danny Buderus Medal winner Mitch Barnett and left edge back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon fighting it out for a spot in the starting side.
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