THEY say a week is a long time in football – well what about thirteen months?
That’s the time Gold Coast Titans prop Michael Henderson has spent sitting on the sideline after breaking his leg last April against Brisbane, in what was a shattering blow for the up-and-coming front-rower.
But after months of sweating it out in rehabilitation sessions, the wait to get back on the paddock is finally over, with the bullocking forward set to play for the Titans’ feeder club Tweed Heads Seagulls this weekend.
Henderson described his rehabilitation as “the hardest thing I have had to do”, but said the support of Titans coach John Cartwright and his family have helped his through the dark times.
“The club has been really supportive, Carty (Cartwright) said to me ‘mate don’t worry if it takes a few months or half the season, the main thing is we want you not to rush it’, so basically I want to be playing good footy in the back half of the season,” Henderson said.
“It’s funny, Mum rang me the other day on the anniversary of when I broke my leg and she said ‘do you know what day it is?’ and I acted like I didn’t know, she said it was the anniversary, all I could say was thanks.”
After suffering a spiral fracture and having a tibial nail inserted into his lower leg, the former Waratah junior is only worried about is getting through his small stint with Tweed Heads this weekend in the Queensland Cup
Speaking to The Area News after training this week, Henderson said he plans to only play the final 20 minutes of the game, but said that would be more than enough after suffering the worst injury in his short career.
“Yeah I am bit nervous now, and it will probably only get worse as I get closer to playing, Saturday is probably going to be a long day,” he said.
“I feel quite good, in the last three weeks it (the leg) has really come on well, I feel I have all of my strength and power back, all I have to do now is get some confidence in it and some agility.”
Henderson’s painstaking comeback was complicated with tendonitis problems in his leg and a joint complaint in his foot, which have come from the lack of movement in the limb over the past year.
But despite the props absence, the Titans have gone from strength to strength in their second year in the NRL, with Henderson saying he is chomping at the bit to get his starting jersey back and be a more active part of the fledgling franchise.
“The mood at the club is really good at the moment, everybody is enjoying going to training and playing,” he said.
“It definitely gives you confidence, and to see the side playing so well at the moment means it takes the pressure off to get back.
“If you said to us at the start of the year that after seven rounds we would be at the top of the competition, we probably wouldn’t have believed you.
“But I’ll do my best to get back in the starting side.”
Henderson said while the depth at the club has been tested again, with injury and suspension playing their part, the fact they were able to keep winning games despite fielding a weakend line-up, bodes well for the club for the rest of the year.
The Titans will face off against the Warriors at home in round eight, with the newly opened Skilled Stadium quickly gaining the reputation as a graveyard for away sides.
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