Brisbane firebrand Josh McGuire is raring to go in his comeback from the terrible Achilles injury which cruelled his 2015 NRL season.
The Queensland and Australia representative suffered the unfortunate blow in June last year, robbing him of featuring in the Maroons' State of Origin victory and the Broncos' charge to the grand final.
After missing the Broncos first trial match against premiers North Queensland with a slight hamstring strain, McGuire is now champing at the bit to return to the field for their World Club Series clash with England heavyweights Wigan on Saturday (Sunday 0700 AEDT).
"It wasn't an easy pill to swallow but that's football. I had to get on with it," McGuire told AAP of the injury.
"I'm excited to be back this week playing footy, my first week back and enjoying it with the boys.
"My body is feeling really good. I just want to start off where I left off last year and keep playing good football.
"It's what I love to do and I had that taken away from me last year.
"I don't want to go out there and rush anything.
"I'm not expecting to light the world on fire, I just want to play some good footy and use that as a stepping stone and build my year on that."
It's not the first major injury the former Samoan international has endured, having played four seasons "blind" in one eye after suffering a detached retina in 2011 when he copped an accidental poke in the eye by a teammate.
McGuire admitted the lengthy rehab process this time was made particularly painful because he was unable to help his teammates in their push for premiership glory - which ultimately fell just short as they lost the grand final to the Cowboys in golden point.
"It was hard more as in the timing of it. That's what made it hard to swallow," he explained.
"It is a long injury that you can't rush. We took all the right steps and precautions and the body is 100 per cent now.
"I'm back doing everything, full training with the team and contact, and I have no worries about the Achilles at all."
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