Mahoney keen to return after being sidelined for a month

SYDNEY: Eels hooker Reed Mahoney says he’s not a great spectator and can’t wait to be back on the field after missing a month of footy — including a probable Origin debut — thanks to a shoulder injury suffered in round 13.
Mahoney was named in Queensland’s Origin one squad but released in time to join the Eels in round 13 to face Newcastle with Harry Grant named to start for the Maroons.
After Grant was subsequently ruled out of the Origin series with a hamstring strain, Mahoney would have been in prime position to make his Origin debut in game two but was sidelined with the shoulder injury he picked up against the Knights.
Now champing at the bit to get back after two weeks in full training, Mahoney said he was more concerned with helping his side bounce back from the Penrith loss than worrying about what could have been in the Origin series.
“It’s great to be back; I’m not good on the sidelines, every game I’m on the edge of my seat,” Mahoney said.
“It’s been a pretty frustrating couple of weeks but I’ve worked hard off the field and at training and I can’t wait to be back.
“(Missing Origin) is unfortunate. Obviously I was in the squad game one.
“It is what it is, I’ve accepted it and I’m even more hungry now to just perform for my team.
“We’ve got eight weeks to go until the finals.
“It was disappointing but there’s plenty of time for that.
“No point kicking stones, we’ve just got to keep moving forward and I have to come back and perform well for the team, that’s my priority.”
Mahoney had no concerns over the shoulder, which he said might need to be strapped during games but was not expected to need post-season surgery.
“I’ve been in full training for nearly two weeks now, plenty of contact, the shoulder’s feeling probably stronger than it was before,” he said.
“Obviously doing a lot of exercises around the shoulder and back muscles. I’m feeling as strong as if I’ve just come off a pre-season.
“(I’ll just have to) strap it up really.
“We worked hard on certain movements and stuff like that over the last few weeks so I’ve passed all the tests.
“We’re not thinking about that (surgery) at all so it’s feeling good.”
Despite his own Origin-related disappointment, Mahoney was still excited for clubmate Mitchell Moses to make his Origin debut. NRL