Thomas Flegler is expected to line up back in Dolphins colours next week after a long stint on the sidelines with shoulder surgery and nerve problems.
With speculation mounting around whether the Dolphins can have a serious impact on the competition this year, it's exciting times for fans who will get a glimpse at him and Tom Gilbert, who ruptured his pec in early 2025, back in their colours.
With the likes of Flegler and Gilbert leading the engine room, along with Daniel Saifiti, Felise Kaufusi, and newly re-signed Kurt Donoghue, the stage is set for the Dolphins to cause some havoc in the competition.
In what is good news for fans, Flegler is itching to get back out on the field. Speaking with Dolphins Media, he is eager to let his football do the talking now.
“It'll be a sense of relief that the pre-season is finished. I'm sick of training, I just want to go and play finally,” Flegler said.
“There was doubt in terms of how successful the surgery was going to be, but I was very hopeful the whole time.
"Luckily, it went pretty well. I've had a reasonably good recovery, and since Christmas I've been in training at 100 per cent. The last box to tick is just to play a game of footy.”
With doubts he would be able to return to the top-grade, the Dolphins' medical staff were extremely positive and helped guide the gifted prop through a tough 2-year window.
“The medical staff at the Dolphins were unreal through the whole process," he said.
“We stayed pretty optimistic through it all, and it's turned out really well."
The shoulder injury, which Flegler suffered in Round 5 of 2024, had complications with the nerves surrounding the area and, therefore, prolonged the process of recovery.
It was a case of which he was unsure if he would return from it all; however, after a long stint on the sidelines, he is ready to showcase his strong skill-set up front for the Dolphins.
His partner-in-crime, Gilbert, is also deemed fit and ready to feature in the trials, who was in career-best form before rupturing his pec last year.
Having both players who bring intense levels of tenacity in the Dolphins camp edging for return, it is officially putting the rest of the NRL competition on notice.
