Gold Coast forward Beau Fermor only has to watch James Tedesco carving up to know he can bounce back better than ever from his second ACL rupture.
The 24-year-old Titans back-rower is progressing well after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his right knee after suffering the injury at training on the cusp of this year's NRL season. He previously ruptured the ACL in his left knee in 2019 while signed to Newcastle.
Sydney Roosters skipper Tedesco tore an ACL on debut in 2012 while at Wests Tigers and two years later fractured his patella. Now he is one of the game's best players and that is an inspiration to Fermor.
"I am always looking at players who are performing at the top level after they have done their knees," Fermor told AAP.
"I look at James Tedesco who did his ACL and returned to consistently be at the top of his game.
"It is inspirational what Tedesco has done since. That just gives me confidence that if I do the work I can come back and play really well.
"I am no chance of playing this year but I if I get my knee strong I can hopefully fly into 2024 and not miss a beat.
"The positive for me was that the surgeon said that if you keep doing the same knee each time it is a bit of a red flag. I must just have crap ACLs, so I've got them both out now and hopefully I'm right to go."
Fermor was striving to help take the Titans back to finals football and make his Queensland debut this year in State of Origin after being in camp with the Maroons last year.
He said he was "devastated" after suffering the injury at first.
"I just did a little step off my right foot at training ... and bang. No-one was touching me," he said.
"It is not a feeling you forget. I knew before I hit the ground what I had done.
"It sucks ... but there are so many people far worse off than me.
"I still get to come in to training every day and do my rehab to get my body strong so I don't have another one of these injuries.
"Last year I re-signed until 2026 so I have time on my side. I am only 24."
Fermor said the Titans had been his rock.
"I love the club and hopefully I can play here the rest of my career. They stuck by me when I did my knee the first time and they are sticking by me again," he said.
"I was six months through rehab and not even playing footy when the Titans first signed me.
"They saw something in me and showed faith. I am very determined to repay the favour."
