RUGBY LEAGE
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Michael Weyman said he will banish the mental scars of another serious injury as the "hungrier" 113 kilogram wrecking ball eyes a Charity Shield return for the Dragons.
Cursed with a litany of injuries in a stop-start career, Weyman has ramped up his pre-season conditioning in a bid to have a hitout prior to St George Illawarra's round one blockbuster with premiers Melbourne.
The 28-year-old suffered a premature end to his 2012 season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Penrith in round 10.
The club's medical staff have taken a cautious approach to Weyman's recovery from a knee reconstruction due to his history of left knee problems, but the Moruya junior said it would not weigh on his mind when fully fit.
"It's one of those things you can't doubt - you just put your head down and do everything right," he said.
"It's going to be 100 per cent in my mind. It's one of those injuries you don't want to rush, but everything is coming along according to plan and I'm really looking forward to getting back out there."
Even if Weyman doesn't return in time for the Dragons' annual Charity Shield clash against the Rabbitohs on February 22, he will have more than a fortnight to work his way back to full health before the start of the regular season.
Weyman's return will beef up a youthful Dragons pack which was thankful for the continued emergence of Trent Merrin, Jack De Belin and Jack Stockwell in last year's indifferent season.
Despite his physical torment, the one-time Kangaroo has taken positives out of nine months in the wilderness.
"I want to get back on the field more than anything - it makes you more hungrier for that," he said. "You really value what we do for a living when you can't do it.
"I was lucky in a way that my daughter was only two weeks old when I did my knee. That helped a lot.
"It's one of those things - it really freshens you mentally, but physically not so much because it's pretty hard to get back to where you were.
"I'm really enjoying training again."
The former Canberra Raider said he was not guaranteed selection even when fully fit.
"We've got a forward pack that's been around for a couple of years together now," Weyman said.
"For starters, I've got to try to get back in that team somehow.
"I think we're really looking good for the next five or six years."