Joining him on the injury department are Thomas Flegler, Daniel Saifiti (shoulder) and Max Plath (ACL), depriving the side of four front-runners from round 15 and a salary cap figure of more than $2 million.
It cruelly forced Gilbert to return to his State of Origin before deciding to take time out from the rugby league bubble to assess his future.
“It was really hard to deal with and process it. Sometimes you dwell on what could have been, but over time I’ve come to terms with what was and what is,” Gilbert said.
“I kind of stepped back from the game and thought about what things I could have done differently and just implemented them.
Loading
“I spent a lot of time at home with my little boy, who was six months old at the time, and that was really special – not many dads get that opportunity – so it was a blessing.
“I’ve had time to step away from footy and try to look forward to it and find ways to fall back in love with the game.
Gilbert confirmed he would take his place in the Dolphins’ first test against the Titans on February 12 and believed he was likely to line up in the back row.
He expected to play through the middle at some stage as he established himself as a lock, but Plath’s comeback and the arrival of Kurt Donoghoe could limit that.
Flegler also projected a first-round comeback, having not been seen since the fifth round in 2024 after suffering nerve damage in his shoulder, while Saifiti was also pushing for an early-season berth.
The arrival of English Super League champion Morgan Knowles forced a tight selection match for coach Kristian Woolf after Francis Molo impressed as an enforcer and Donoghoe emerged as a breakout star.
Plath – whose excellent displays at lock and cover ability tipped him as the Maroons’ bolter – said he did not expect to return straight to the NRL given Donoghoe’s performances in 2025.
Max Plath believes he will have to go through the Queensland Cup before returning to the NRL.Credit: Getty Images
The 24-year-old felt his knee was at a point where he could be fit for round one, but said the timeline was more likely round three and he may have to sit out the Queensland Cup before being called up.
“You get hurt a lot along the way, so you take away the experience of the stages you go through — you feel alone and you’re not part of the team,” Plath said.
“It’s also a really good time to reflect on my weaknesses. It’s been a really reflective six months of where I am as a football player.”
“I’d much rather be the worst player on a winning team than the best on a losing team – winning is everything to me, and if that’s Kurt’s position, I can figure out another way to help the team win.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for the Morning Edition newsletter.
Leave a Reply