TWELVE months ago Luke Higgins was helping Macquarie make a run towards the Newcastle Rugby League grand final.
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Pretty soon the Rebels representative forward will be plying his sporting trade in France.
"If I look back to this time last year, there's no possible way I would've told you I'd be living in France in 12 months time," Higgins told the Newcastle Herald.
The 26-year-old, who works as an electrician at Tomago Aluminium, has signed for Elite Two Championships club Villefranche XIII Aveyron in 2023-24.
Souths winger and fellow Raymond Terrace junior Jacob Afflick is also poised to play alongside him in France.
Higgins flies overseas in mid-September with action scheduled to get underway the following month.
Preparations have already begun, which includes brushing up on the local language.
"I've been doing a few lessons. I think the bloke teaching them can definitely tell I'm a footballer, I've been struggling big time," Higgins said.
"It's pretty tough, but I'm giving it a go and that's all I can do. French was a bit of muck-up class [when previously attending school] so that's come back to bite me now."
The two-time Newcastle RL premiership winner remains uncertain about the standard of competition, but feels ready for the challenge and understands Villefranche XIII Aveyron are striving for Elite One promotion after losing the decider last season.
"I think I was just keen for a change, not even footy itself but life in general," he said.
"I've almost been on repeat for so many years and, don't get me wrong that's good as well, but just something different and a chance to experience the world while doing something I love.
"It will be another culture and a stone's throw away from 10 different countries. No many people can say footy took them to the other side of the world."
Closer to home and Higgins has been sidelined for Macquarie because of a groin injury, undergoing mid-season surgery, but remains "100 percent" confident that he'll be able to hit the ground running in Europe.
He'll likely skip the two remaining Newcastle RL rounds with the Scorpions now officially out of finals contention.
"It's a chronic injury. It flared up in round three against the Hawks, had a few weeks off and did all the rehab but it went again after about 20 minutes," he said.
"Unfortunately it was too early in the season to push through. If it was towards the back end it might have been different.
"It [surgery] went well apparently and I'm pretty much ready to go now, but I decided to take the long road back and give it more time.
"I'm still only at the eight-week mark and it's probably not worth [risking] it now."
Higgins says he's knocked back offers to commit with Newcastle RL clubs in 2024, unsure of his plans beyond the French campaign.
Meanwhile both Wests' Liam Wiscombe (dangerous contact) and Central's Lachlan O'Brien (careless high tackle) are free to play next round after entering early guilty pleas this week and escaping with warnings.
ROUND 17: Saturday - Kurri Kurri v Cessnock, Macquarie v Northern Hawks, Wyong v Wests, Souths v Maitland. Sunday - Lakes v The Entrance (3pm). Bye - Central.
LADDER: Maitland 30; Souths 26; Wyong 24; Cessnock 23, Entrance 22; Wests 17; Macquarie, Lakes, Central 14; Northern Hawks 8; Kurri Kurri 4.