Connor McCauley feared his return to Brothers was over before it began but now he's looking to make up for lost time.
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McCauley suffered nerve and ligament damage to his wrist in February and was initially looking at missing six months.
However he made a comeback against Southcity last week, the club he played for last year, and is set to line up in the centres for the Challenge Cup clash with Temora at Equex Centre on Sunday.
McCauley is pleased to be back on the field
"The rehab came along quicker than what they first thought it would have," McCauley said.
"It's turned out all good. They said if I could put up with the pain I could play as you can't really do more damage to it. Fingers crossed it's sweet."
McCauley was pleased with how the rest came through the game.
"It depends on different situations if I have to bend my wrist too far back or forward but I strap it up enough that I don't get too much movement and it didn't go too bad," he said.
"I only got the all clear that I could try to play if I wanted to so I thought I'd test it out in ressies and got through that alright so they were happy for me to sit (on the bench) for first grade."
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While it may have been a little while in the making, McCauely also got more than he bargained for in his comeback.
Not only was it a clash against his former club, but the 24-year-old ended up playing almost two full games.
"I played most of the game in reserve grade and then one of the second rowers was a bit under the weather so he only punched out 10-15 and I got thrown into the deep end and had to play the rest of the game," McCauley said.
"My lungs were busted. And my body didn't like it the next day, or four days after."
McCauley has been named in the centres to take on the unbeaten Dragons.
It's not an entirely foreign role but one he hasn't played in a while.
However he's more than happy to slot in where needed.
"I'm trying to wind back the clock," McCauley said.
"They must think I'm 20 kilos lighter than what I am.
"I played a fair bit of it when I was younger and we're a bit light on for outside backs at the moment.
"I'll just be trying to through 80 minutes in the centre and try to get some match fitness back."
Adding to the clash is Brothers have put up the $1000 to play for the clash.
Temora have named an unchanged line up from the side who took a 22-4 win over Albury, who elected not to challenge, after initially holding off Kangaroos.
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