Inspirational advice from Melbourne prop Christian Welch has helped convince Gold Coast skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui that he will return to his best from his season-ending knee injury.
The 24-year-old Titans skipper won the 2020 NRL title at the Storm alongside Welch, who has bounced back from two ACL tears and an Achilles tendon rupture.
Fa'asuamaleaui is rehabbing following surgery after he suffered a torn ACL in round three this season and will be back on board for the Titans next year.
"Christian Welch has been through a few (knee injuries) and he sent me a massive paragraph," he said.
"It was about two pages long. There was advice about things that he went through and they definitely helped.
"There were a lot of tips around icing my knee and the process of it all. He said to make sure to write in log books about the situation each week.
"I feel like I am going to be bigger and better. It is exciting. I am confident I can get back to my best.
"The big dugong, as we call (Welch), definitely mentored me as a young fella coming through. To receive that advice from him was awesome."
Since his injury, Queensland and Australia star Fa'asuamaleaui has been inundated with messages of support from colleagues who care about him.
"When I first got injured a lot of boys I never thought would message me sent me a lot of tips and it has opened a whole new world for me, as a player that never had a massive injury," he said.
"To receive all the kind messages from players that have gone through it was massive.
"Taylan May is one I never thought would message me after he went through it the other year. Angus Bell from the Wallabies is another one.
"Now when I see someone get any (injury) on the field I try to be the first to message. Hopefully I can help other people with what I am going through because I got a lot of help when I first got injured."
Fa'asuamaleaui said his injury would be no barrier to re-establishing himself as one of the game's best forwards.
"I am backing myself," he said.
"I get to work on my body the next 10 months and I have never had that before.
"I am only still young at 24. I am still raw in the gym and I get to really explode in that area for the next 10 months.
"I feel like I am going to be bigger and better. It is exciting."
