JASON Hill came to Australia for a holiday and to freshen up mentally before playing for Heriots in the inaugural semi-professional Super Six competition in Scotland.
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Not only will the barnstorming No.8 return match-fit, he believes he is a more rounded player for his four months at Hamilton.
The 29-year-old also plans to return a premiership winner.
Hill is set to be a key figure when the Hawks take on Wanderers in the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union grand final at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday.
"The whole club is ready for Saturday," Hill said. "We don't really do grand finals back home. The Scottish leagues have play-offs but they are different to here. I was confused by the finals system and how it is done. It would certainly be good to go home with a win.
"It has been an absolute class experience. Everyone I have come across - at other clubs and at the Hawks - have been so welcoming.
"Northern hemisphere rugby is so set-piece dominant. Just being able to run different support lines because the game is faster has been great. The guys here are talented. Some of the off-loading ability is amazing. I have learnt, no matter the conditions, anything can happen.
"Ben Mahon, the strength and conditioning coach at the Hawks, doesn't let up on the fitness. I have come out here to enjoy my holiday and play rugby as such, but I have not let off at the training. Hopefully being match-fit, I can hit the ground running when I go back home."
The second-tier Super Six competition has been introduced to bridge the gap between amateur teams and Pro 14 clubs Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh.
Hill spent two years at Glasgow (2015-16) and also played professionally at English clubs Bedford and Doncaster.
"It was always the plan to go back and play," Hill said. "I'll play the grand final, have a week or so to look around and then jet back."
Hill was lured to Newcastle by Hamilton strapper and 200-game veteran Mick "Big Dog" McKinley. McKinley, who spent three years playing in Scotland from 1998, is friends of friends and has known Hill for seven years.
"When I was younger I never really considered it, I just said 'whatever, whatever'," Hill said. "I had three years of pro rugby and basically couldn't go to another team. This was the first Scottish summer where I had nothing."
Hamilton coach Scott Coleman couldn't have been more impressed with the Scotsman.
"On the field, he is a massive human, a strong ball runner, very skillful, good lineout jumper," Coleman said. "He has brought a wealth of knowledge as well. He has introduced a couple of plays that we will use this week. We have kept them up our sleeve. He brings experience and is professional as far as his attitude to training. He has lifted the standard. He is training at 5.15pm every session. He gets strapped and does his roll out and that has caught on with the players. A coach can tell them to do it, but you need players to lead it and he has done that."
