Brisbane Broncos outside back Deine Mariner is back on the field now, but there was a time when his career was in serious jepoardy after suffering a horror compartment syndrome injury to his leg earlier this year.
Needing emergency surgery to save his leg, Mariner's return timeline was unclear, with use of his leg moving forward also at risk when the injury was first diagnosed.
The Broncos have now released an eight-minute mini documentary on Mariner's return to footy, and the injury, which includes interviews with the back, roommate Xavier Willison and team doctor Matthew Hislop.
Willison, speaking in one part of the interview, said he had alerted Broncos medical staff in the early hours of the morning that something was seriously wrong with Mariner after the outside back couldn't lie down to sleep, and was instead standing against the wall of their hotel room.
Hislop explained that the injury is a true medical emergency, and left unchecked, could have rendered Mariner's leg unusable going forward.
"It's one of the true few medical emergencies that we see in sports med," Hislop said in one part.
"Effectively, you've got like six hours before that muscle dies, and that is an irreversible process.
"With compartment syndrome, there has been bleeding deep in the muscle and it can't escape. Over time, the pressure builds up and gets so high that you can't get more blood and oxygen into the muscle," Hislop added.
"The staff at the RPA were amazing. They got him in, got him stable, confirmed the diagnosis and the theatre was organised and he was taken up and operated on.
"Between seeing him at 1am in the morning and getting to hospital, it was like two or three hours before he was out of surgery."
Mariner revealed the first thing he did after waking up from surgery was check his leg was still there. He admitted he had previously never heard of the compartment syndrome injury.
The outside back spent 14 days in hospital before beginning rehabilitation of the injury.
"The club were massive. They tried to put some strength back into my leg by doing a bit of gym, then I got back on the field with the rehab boys," Mariner said.
Even as he worked through his recovery, Mariner was told he was unlikely to play again this year, but after just nine weeks on the sideline between the clash against the Roosters in Round 9, to his return against the Sharks in Round 18, he was able to play again, and has since had four more games.
The 23-year-old debuted for Samoa in 2024, played for the nation again last year, and now will have his sights set on selection it the squad for the end of year Rugby League World Cup.
He should have bought a lottery ticket, or better still, bought the team doctor a lottery ticket. Lucky to have someone with the ability and self-confidence to make that diagnosis, and get it acted on so quickly.