BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 15: Matt Gillett takes on the defence during the Brisbane Broncos NRL training session on March 15, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Brisbane forward Matt Gillett is planning to return to the field after an 11-month injury layoff when the Broncos visit Gold Coast to face the Titans in a trial on March 2.
Gillett was sidelined for the majority of the 2018 season after it was discovered he was playing with a fractured neck following his side's clash with Newcastle in Round 5.
Broncos coach Anthony Seibold said the plan would be for Gillett to face the Titans, before suiting up for his first NRL game in almost a year when Brisbane face the Storm in Melbourne on March 14.
"All going well he'll play just the one trial and that'll be against the Gold Coast," Seibold told NRL.com.
"He's doing all the skills but still not doing full contact. He is doing all the other training and we hope he'll be cleared by the doctor the next week or two and be on course for a trial game, then round one."
Gillett himself believes his neck isn't so much the problem anymore, and understands he'll need to work on the strength in his shoulder before getting back out onto a competitive field.
"Now it is just a matter of building contact with the shoulder. That will be a process but I want to get as much contact as I can in before the last trial and give it a good hit-out there," Gillett told NRL.com.
"It has been a long time on the sideline watching but I have been able to spend time with family and refresh the body.
"It [the NRL] takes its toll on the body the older you get so in a way it has been perfect timing to get that rest for a year and hit the ground running this year. I am pretty eager to get back out there.