![Luke Higgins playing for South Newcastle in 2016. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Luke Higgins playing for South Newcastle in 2016. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/6373d66c-ddbe-4b86-89af-87659178bdbb.jpg/r0_0_3319_1991_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
TWO-time Newcastle Rugby League premiership winner Luke Higgins is poised for a return to Souths.
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The forward, who recently concluded a maiden campaign in France's Elite 2 competition, has agreed to terms with the Lions for at least the rest of this season.
Higgins won titles with Souths in 2016 and 2018, and will return to Townson Oval after playing the past three NEWRL seasons at Macquarie. He finished up at the Scorpions last season ahead of his European sojourn.
Along with fellow Souths back and Raymond Terrace junior Jacob Afflick, Higgins helped Villefranche XIII Aveyron go undefeated through Elite 2 and earn promotion for 2024/25.
Afflick is understood to have served a one-game suspension hanging over from last year's grand final with Souths at the weekend, while Higgins is due back in town this week.
Souths are expecting to receive a clearance from his French club within days.
"We still rate him as one of the top, maybe, four front-rowers in the [local] game," Souths president Steve Young said.
![Higgins playing for Macquarie in 2022. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Higgins playing for Macquarie in 2022. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/f75e3aea-2041-490b-b2bf-e770bc7393d0.jpg/r0_0_4998_3332_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"He's still young and has quite a fair bit of football in front of him. We want to keep him here for good this time.
"It's fantastic to have him back, where we feel he belongs.
"It gives us some nice back-up in our front-row stocks. Losing Hunter Dever to a season-ending knee injury wasn't exactly in our plans, so to have someone like 'Higgo' back, it's a great coup."
Higgins is not expected to feature against Northern on Saturday.
Souths, who are second, have had to shift their following game against third-placed Cessnock due to a scheduling clash at Townson Oval with rugby union. It will be played at Waratah Oval on July 7 from 3pm.
Meanwhile, Cessnock and Wyong's game in round 11 this weekend has been moved to Friday, August 11.
Cessnock Sportsground has been out of action since being damaged by multiple games on June 1, when Cessnock beat Souths 30-12.
The Goannas have since played home games at Raymond Terrace and Abermain.
The switch of dates gives Cessnock a much-needed week off.
They were hammered 44-6 by Maitland on Saturday, and don't have their second bye until round 18, after having their first in round two.
FIXTURES: Maitland v Wests, Maitland Sportsground, Saturday 3pm; Northern v Souths, Tomaree Sportsground, Saturday 5pm; Macquarie v The Entrance, Lyall Peacock Field, Sunday 2pm; Central v Kurri Kurri, St John Oval, Sunday, 3pm.