Imagine tearing your hamstring tendon off the bone, spending six months recovering and then finding out the surgical reattachment hadn't worked and you had to repeat the entire process.
That's what Temple Kalepo, a young hooker the Knights signed from the Warriors last year, has dealt with over the past 18 months.
"It's been a long journey," Kalepo told the Newcastle Herald of the injury ordeal.
"It was tough, just the thought of missing another six months of footy and not being able to train.
"But my family, the coaches and all the physios have helped out a lot. Everyone has been so helpful."
Through the setback and hard slog of more than a year's worth of recovery, Kalepo has showed patience and perseverance that now have him on track to return to the playing field in 2023.
"I never lost hope," he said.
A name few Knights fans will have heard of, Kalepo could be a player that ends up having a more significant role than expected next year.
He appears the next genuine hooker in the club's pecking order should back-up No.9 Chris Randall link with Gold Coast as mooted.
While still yet to make his NRL debut and in need of game time, the Auckland product has been making the right impressions at the club.
One of a host of youngsters training with the NRL squad this preseason, his attitude and application have stood out in the first few weeks.
"We've given him an opportunity to train full-time and he has been doing a really good job," Knights assistant coach Blake Green said.
"He has finally got his body into a position where he can train back-to-back days and he is moving quite well."
Green knows better than most Kalepo's talents, having trained with him when he was an emerging prospect in New Zealand a few years ago.
"When I was at the Warriors, he did a preseason with us," Green said.
"He was only 18 or 19 at the time, but a really talented kid. He went to a good school in New Zealand, so he is quite well spoken and really well behaved.
"He is a crafty little No.9 [and] was quite impressive in that preseason he did.
"It's just unfortunate that the turn of events with COVID, it sort of put him out of action for a year where he stayed in New Zealand."
Kalepo did not initially relocate to Australia with the Warriors after the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020.
He joined them ahead of the following season, but suffered his injury soon after.
He was then picked up by the Knights late last year.
But having not played a game since last April, Kalepo - the son of a Tongan mother and Samoan father who was just as talented in rugby union during high school at King's College - is desperate to get back on the field and repay the Knights' show of faith in him.
"My dad lived here when he was a bit younger and had some family here, so it wasn't a hard decision," the 21-year-old said of joining Newcastle.
"I'm feeling good. I'm just keen to improve on my craft and get back into it, and learn from the more experienced people at the club.
"Dummy-half is my preferred position, [but] if they want me to play prop I'll play prop. I'll play anywhere for the opportunity.
"Hopefully I can put my best foot forward."
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