Tariq Sims

Sims ready to reclaim starting role

The former Cowboys and Knights forward also reckons he's putting up the best numbers of his career in the gym and gotten on top of the rehab required for his twice-broken left leg.

Sims started four matches at the end of 2017 played a full 80 minutes in three of those, having started just three of 20 games in 2017 (and one of eight in 2016) prior to that.

"Last year was one of those years where my role in the team was to come off the bench which was never that easy too because I've played so many games starting," Sims told NRL.com.

Sims happy to provide bench impact

After 18 months at the Knights in a dominant leadership role, Sims has only been able to make the starting 13 in Paul McGregor's side once since joining the Red V midway through last season.

The emergence of Paul Vaughan up front and the dominant back-row of Tyson Frizell and Joel Thompson leaves the 27-year-old in unfamiliar territory for the first time since the 2013 season.