Kenny Edwards has vowed to repay his Parramatta teammates after missing the opening seven rounds of the NRL season.
Edwards returned to the field in the Eels' 18-12 win over Penrith on Saturday, following his suspension for a domestic-violence related charge.
Edwards pleaded guilty in February to spraying his former partner with water and pouring a vodka cruiser over her late last year.
He received no conviction but was fined $60,000 by the Eels.
However, after watching Parramatta slump to four consecutive losses during his suspension, the 27-year-old has promised to make up for his absence the rest of this season ahead of Friday's clash with North Queensland.
"I felt I had to make it up to them," Edwards said.
"It was a stupid mistake why I wasn't playing for the first seven weeks.
"But to come back and get this win and to go two in a row we'll be taking everything with us to Townsville next week and hopefully getting the win up there."
Edwards was one of the Eels' best players in an otherwise tumultuous 2016 season, playing every game and breaking through 72 tackles.
But he has been missed in Parramatta's opening to the season.
After they won their first two games to the top of the ladder, the Eels fell to four straight losses as they desperately missed Edwards' reliable edge defence and impact in attack.
His utility value was also handy in Saturday's win over the Panthers.
The Eels are still waiting on the results of scans on makeshift No.6 Brad Takairangi's knee, after Edwards was forced to fill in at five-eighth in the second half.
They're also waiting to see if regular fullback Bevan French will return from his own knee injury, which would allow Clinton Gutherson to slot back into the halves.
Not that what number is on his back will worry the revitalised Eel right now.
"It's been a long seven weeks," he said.
"Especially watching how the boys went from round three to six and seven.
"But to be back out there and back playing the footy - it's a massive relief."
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