It was one of the injuries which stung nib Newcastle Knights fans the most in 2019.
It also coincided with the Knights entering a late season run of losses which cruelly left the team outside the top eight.
For Edrick Lee, now is his chance to atone for missing the second half of the season with a broken arm.
The 27-year-old admits he’s just keen to be training with the full playing squad again after a few months in the recovery unit.
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“On day one I was very excited to be back around the boys, obviously in the rehab crew I was on my own a lot, so I didn’t really get to be with the boys while they were training,” Lee said.
“The first day I was ripping into everything, and it brought back the excitement again, just being around the boys and the hard work you have to do before you really get into your first game.”
The winger was one of the Knights best in the first half of 2019, scoring six tries, making seven line breaks and running for 126 metres per game.
He was sorely missed during the second half of the year, however Lee insists he’s back to full fitness.
“I was lucky enough to be cleared to train with all the boys and participate in the full pre-season,” Lee said.
“Obviously with the injury that it was, it was a tough one to cope with at the time, but the boys helped me off the field to get through the period that I went through, and I’m reaping the rewards from the relationships I gained with them off the field.
“It’s pretty much all good, back to 100%. I’ve just been excited to get into pre-season and be able to train with the boys again.”
With pre-season training now entering its third week, Lee has adjusted to the return to full training duties.
“It was a bit shaky at the start, having contact to my arm and getting used to all the brutal force,” he said.
“But that’s what pre-seasons there for, to get your body ready and the mind right for the long season ahead.”
Lee admits the pre-season has been harder than ever, with Adam O’Brien setting a hard standard for the playing group to work up to.
However, Lee said the group is thriving in the new environment.
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“Every pre-season gets tougher and tougher, but it’s also enjoyable as well,” Lee said.
“Obviously, Adam being the Head Coach, he has his methods but everybody’s adjusting to it and ripping in.
“No one knows what to expect because it’s our first time being under Adam, but whatever he puts in front of us, everyone’s attacking it.”
