Te Maire Martin got up grinning after copping a late shot in his Queensland Cup return this year.
Usually the stuff of nightmares for pint-sized playmakers, the former North Queensland talent needed to feel the contact again as he continued his remarkable comeback from a brain bleed that forced him out of the NRL three years ago.
The 26-year-old hasn't looked back since that moment, impressive for Wynnum Manly and now called on by Kevin Walters to play fullback for a desperate Brisbane outfit on Friday night against Canterbury.
"In that game I kicked the ball, got hit late and everything was sweet," Martin said ahead of his first NRL game in 1092 days.
"It sounds weird, but I was really excited for it. From then on I just tried to get my natural game back and get running again.
"I feel pretty ready."
Martin had flourished as Michael Morgan and Johnathan Thurston's understudy at the Cowboys when he arrived from Penrith in 2017.
He debut for the club in round 17 then stepped up in Thurston's absence, combining with Morgan to steer them to a remarkable grand final appearance and scoring a try in the decider.
On Thursday he recalled the persistent headaches that came almost two years later that forced him into what he expected was retirement at just 23.
"We were pummelling in the warm-up ... and my head was crazy sore and (teammate) Mitch Dunn was like 'you'll be right'," he said.
"Then Corey Harawira-Naera made a break and I couldn't catch him.
"I remember that clearly and after that it went downhill pretty quickly.
"I had to finish up; I was a bit uncertain about what the brain wanted to do with that little bleed.
"It's a bit surreal (to be back). I've just got to take my opportunity with two hands."
Martin will replace the injured Tesi Niu at fullback for the Broncos, who have lost four straight games since beating the Bulldogs to go 2-0 earlier this year.
The Bulldogs (1-5) are travelling no better but can play the underdog card after a torrid build-up this week.
Brent Naden, Jake Averillo and Ava Seumanufagai won't play after returning positive COVID-19 tests, joining the sidelined Braidon Burns (hamstring) and Chris Patolo (head knock).
It left coach Trent Barrett scrambling for options but relieved no further positive tests were returned on Thursday morning.
Walters knows a win at home against a depleted Bulldogs is a must to avoid further examination of the under-fire club that will shuffle its spine again with the inclusion of Tyson Gamble and Cory Paix.
"Every club faces it, we just worry about the Broncos," Walters said of the Bulldogs' plight.
"It certainly is (a must-win game) but every game is.
"I don't believe we need to be worried about being complacent; we're desperate for a win, well not so much a win, but an 80 minute performance."
