JJ Collins wants to finish his career on his terms.
The former Dolphins NRL forward – who also played with the Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights and Canberra Raiders across his NRL career – last year stepped away from rugby league for personal reasons.
But now the 28-year-old is back and determined to enjoy the years he has left in the game.
“I had a year off and I’m ready to go again,” Collins said of signing with the Tweed Seagulls, where he last played in 2022.
“I was talking to my wife a couple weeks before I came back to Tweed and we were having a conversation about how I had to stop playing last year.
“I knew I wanted things back on our terms or on my terms. I didn’t want anyone controlling the narrative of how I finish up playing.
“My eldest son also came to a few games when I was at the Dolphins and seeing his face then… doing that all over again, that was one of the main drivers for me coming back.”
![Collins in pre-season with Tweed. Photo: Bailey Sands/Tweed Seagulls](/contentassets/e3bc4ae1621b4e998630d48f1386150d/0o1a9608-2.jpg?center=0.249%2C0.496&preset=photo-inline)
After finishing up with the Dolphins at the end of 2023, Collins signed with the Burleigh Bears for 2024 before he had to make the decision to step away.
He said he was grateful for the club’s support, particularly that of coach Luke Burt. They even continued to check in on him as the year went on.
But when Collins decided he was ready to come back for this year, he returned to his first Cup club.
After his stints with Wests, Newcastle and Canberra, the Logan-born prop signed with Tweed in 2021 and played two seasons there before he was picked up by the Dolphins.
![Collins in action for the Dolphins. Photo: Scott Davis/NRL Imagery](/contentassets/e3bc4ae1621b4e998630d48f1386150d/72858670_collinsjj-230825_sd_7564_2023825205116.jpg?center=0.3%2C0.5&preset=photo-inline)
“I’ve been with Tweed before and one of my good mates, Lamar (Manuel-Liolevave), has been there for a really long time," Collins said.
“He was still playing at the club and he was saying the year that just went was going to be his last, but he re-signed. When I saw that, I thought another year to be with good mates like that and being back at Tweed, that got me back.
“There’s a lot of young players coming through so I’m excited to see what 2025 has in store for us.”
Last time Collins was at the club, Ben Woolf was coach and the playing group looked quite different.
In his time away, Dave Penna has taken over the coaching reins, the field and facilities have been upgraded, and a few new faces have popped up around Piggabeen, including the likes of former Ipswich Jets playmaker Dray Ngatuere-Wroe and NSW Cup players Josh Bevan, Romano Cook and Phoenix Steinwede, who have all joined Collins as fresh signings for 2025.
One of the keys for Collins since returning has been trying to keep up with the younger members of the Tweed squad, especially after a year off from footy.
Having been in and out of fulltime systems his entire career, the father of three and youth worker is used to being pushed to stay fit but did find that a challenge last year while he was on the sidelines, so he mainly focused on going to the gym and occasionally dabbled in CrossFit.
![Collins with one of his children in 2023. Photo: Scott Davis/NRL Imagery](/contentassets/e3bc4ae1621b4e998630d48f1386150d/71223138_collinsj-230413_sd_4855_202341318303.jpg?center=0.38%2C0.4&preset=photo-inline)
“Being in a fulltime system for a long time, you sort of take exercise for granted,” he said.
“You don’t realise it when you play footy. But when you get into fulltime work and you’re not playing footy and you have a family, you have to make sure you’re prioritising exercising.
“I have two young boys too, so staying active is the best thing for them. You’re running around, going to every playground on the Gold Coast and it keeps you motivated to stay fit.
“I sort of kept watching footy while I was out. I guess the cool thing for me was to enjoy it as a fan and not having to go and look at what the middle forwards are doing… not having to examine it.
“I took my son to one of the games and that was awesome – Titans v Dolphins. He’s the biggest Dolphins supporter too so it’s awesome seeing it come full circle.”
In his return season, Collins’ goals are simple – enjoy his footy, be healthy for himself, his teammates and his family, and hopefully help the Seagulls to grand final day.
“I’d say personally, for myself, it would be to stay fit, stay healthy,” Collins said of what he’d like to achieve this year.
“I’m not at the early stage of my career but at the back end. Having a year out and coming back in the early weeks, the boys are getting fitter and stronger.
“I want to enjoy it again. I definitely missed it and my most recent years were the most enjoyable.
“And finally, everyone strives to want to play in the big dance in September.
“Last year the boys didn’t finish in the eight so securing a spot in the eight and playing finals is the best goal to set. Whatever happens off the back is a bonus but we definitely have the squad that can get there.
“When you do implement a little change, it keeps everyone honest and accountable and everyone on their toes because no spot is guaranteed.
“If we all work together, we’ll all be there come September.”
Tweed Seagulls 2025 gains and losses
Gains
Josh Bevan (North Sydney Bears), Ethan Clark-Wood (Sydney Roosters), JJ Collins (year off), Romano Cook (Canterbury Bulldogs), Kieran Hayman (North Sydney Bears), Jay Kirk (Wests Tigers), Dray Ngatuere-Wroe (Ipswich Jets), Phoenix Steinwede (Sydney Roosters), John Thomas Manuofetoa (Cronulla Sharks)
Losses
Will Brimson (retired), Jacob McCudden (Burleigh Bears), Kaleb Ngamanu (rugby union), Ioane Seiuli (St Marys), Vaka Sikahele (Brisbane Tigers), Thomas Steadman (Burleigh Bears), Lee Turner (retired), Jerome Veve (Norths Devils)