Lost in the Wests Tigers current injury crisis is the return of a player who feared his NRL career had been ended by a horrific knee injury less than 12 months ago.
Shaun Spence made his debut against St George Illawarra at the Sydney Cricket Ground a fortnight ago, and the second-rower scored his maiden try against Brisbane on the weekend.
It’s why he fronted the media on Monday with a smile on his face – in his mind, he’s lucky to be playing the game at all.
Last June Spence suffered an injury playing for Balmain in the NSW Cup; it was so gruesome his surgeon joked it looked like a bomb exploded inside his knee.
“The only thing that didn’t go was my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament),” he told AAP on Monday.
A dislocated knee cap, ruptured medial ligament and a cartilage tear meant a long time in rehab and potentially much worse for the then off-contract youngster who had been on the verge of cracking into first grade.
“I was 20, turning 21. It was a make-or-break year, just out of the (under 20s competition),” he said.
“You really need to make your stamp if you want to make a career out of it.
“The timing of it wasn’t really great, it was around the June 30 mark when you’re looking for a contract.
“A lot of things went against me. But I had good people around me.
“The club supported me unbelievably. I can’t (speak highly) enough about the club and how they treated me and looked after me.
“They gave me a shot and I’m trying to make the most of it.”
Spence says he hopes to use his experiences as a way to offer support to the trio of Tigers who have suffered serious injuries – Tim Moltzen (knee), Blake Ayshford (ankle) and Chris Lawrence (hamstring).
“It was a rough period for myself but at least I know now what these boys are going through and I can lend a helping hand if I can,” Spence said.
“It’s bad for Timmy but in a way at least he knows he’s been through it before … he can set himself little goals.”