HYMEL Hunt can't help looking back on his first season with the Newcastle Knights as a case of unfinished business.
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From a personal perspective, he could hardly have contributed more to the cause.
The powerful outside back was the only player to appear in all 24 of Newcastle's games, scoring nine tries in the process, which was enough to earn him a two-year contract extension.
Yet like the rest of his teammates, Newcastle's slide from finals contention in the second half of the season - when they won only three of their last 12 games - has left him with a lingering sense of angst.
"I get quite emotional and angry about how we finished off the year," Hunt told the Newcastle Herald.
"Especially that last game at Penrith [a 54-10 loss]. We owe it to ourselves, our fans and the club to rip in and make amends.
"We can't have another year like that, so we have to start off strong, especially in the trials.
"We want to be ready to go in round one and keep building from there."
With regards to his own performances, Hunt was entitled to feel he proved a point.
Having sought a release from South Sydney to link with Newcastle on a one-year deal, he was initially expected to be a back-up to first-choice centres Jesse Ramien and Tautau Moga.
Instead he played more games and scored more tries than the pair of them combined.
"Coming to this town for unreal for me," he said.
"We've got a real close group of boys, and I think that helped me on and off the field. I think I played some of my best footy, but I definitely want to keep improving this year."
The 25-year-old spent most of last season at left-side centre but acknowledges that teenager Bradman Best is likely to start 2020 in that role.
"He's a big talent," Hunt said of the 2019 Australian Schoolboys representative.
"I got to play a few games with him last year, and I'm excited about how he's going to go this year."
Hunt has told new coach Adam O'Brien he is willing to play "a bit of everywhere" if it ensures he is in the team each week.
"I said to the coach that I was prepared to play anywhere this year, depending on what he needs," he said.
"Obviously I prefer centre, but wherever the team needs me. I'm preparing as if I'll play some wing, so I've been doing a lot of catching practice. With the new rule - no tackling in the air - there's going to be a lot of emphasis on catching cleanly."
