Jake Trueman has given an update following his operation on a serious back injury.
The 22-year-old had been playing through the pain barrier for a large part of the season, and a month after the Challenge Cup final it was announced that Trueman wouldn’t play any further part in 2021.
However, after a successful operation, the stand-off claimed that he has his mind firmly set on returning to the field as soon as possible.
“I am feeling good, and I am ready to go for this pre-season. The back is coming along well, and I have just started doing a bit of training over the last couple of weeks. Hopefully in the next couple of months or so I will be able to get back into full training,” Trueman said.
“I’ll probably be able to start running in the next few weeks. I have started doing weights and on the bike with some core training, so I have been doing a lot more than I was able to do a couple of weeks back.”
“I am not too sure on the exact date of when I can be back fully because it is a unique injury. We just have to play it by ear and see how it goes so I am hoping to be able to do some contact training before Christmas.”
Plenty of fellow young players have signed contract extensions this year, with the likes of Jacques O’Neill, Brad Graham, Sam Hall and Brad Martin all putting pen to paper on new deals at the club. This is alongside the signings of talented pair Alex Sutcliffe and former academy standout Callum McLelland, who will also bring the exuberance of youth to the squad.
O’Neill, McLelland and Trueman were all part of the Fords’ Academy side who took part in the 2017 Academy Grand Final, and he is relishing the chance to link up with them once again.
“You need good young players because you see the teams that have dominated the Super League in the past with the likes of Saints, Wigan, and Leeds, they all bring through players from their academy.
“Looking at the academy we’ve got and the young lads coming through, it looks really promising for the future.”
A total of eight new additions have come through the door in time for the 2022 season under new boss Lee Radford and Trueman put forward just how excited he is to work under Radford and alongside the eye-catching new additions next term.
“I have met Lee a couple of times and I am really looking forward to playing under him. I like the way he is wanting us to play next year, and I have spoken to him about some technical things, and I am excited to get out there and play for Lee.
“There has been some really good signings and we are all just like fans really seeing the new players coming in. It is what we need to freshen us up with the players coming in with new ideas. The squad is looking healthy this year and it is looking like we are going to have a good season.”
