Joe Lovodua nearing full strength at Hull
Joe Lovodua of Fiji scores during the Pacific Test Invitational match between Fiji Bati and the Lebanon Cedars at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney, Saturday, June 22, 2019
Hull FC hooker Joe Lovodua believes he is edging closer to full fitness after arriving earlier this year.
Lovodua, a Fiji international, was playing for South Sydney’s New South Wales Cup side before the competition was cancelled. As a result, he has not played competitively since August.
He arrived in the UK earlier in December. The 23-year-old has been playing catch-up in order to get his fitness levels up where they need to be.
However, he feels as though he is almost there in terms of his fitness.
Speaking to Hull’s club website, Lovodua said: “The staff have been putting me through my paces on the field and in the gym.
“The majority of the boys are in week seven or eight of their pre-seasons. So there’s been a bit of catching up for me to do.
“I haven’t played rugby since the middle of the year. That’s when the competition got cancelled back home in Australia and we went into a strict lockdown, so it’s been tough for me.
“The first few days, considering I was jet-lagged, were really harsh on the body. But I feel like I’m past the worst of it now and I’m getting close to being at peak levels again, which is a credit to the staff for pushing me to get there.”
Lovodua final name through the door at Hull
The 23-year-old was the final signing announced by Hull FC as they plan for the new season.
He follows fellow NRL recruit Kane Evans, as well as Huddersfield’s Darnell McIntosh and Leeds’ Luke Gale to sign for Brett Hodgson’s side.
Before the Super League season gets underway, the Black and Whites will face two pre-season friendlies. It starts with a match against Bradford on 16th January, before then taking on Leeds in Tom Briscoe’s testimonial.
The Super League season then gets underway against Wakefield Trinity in February.
