HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS winger Jermaine McGillvary is close to a return to full training.
The 34-year-old missed the final two months of the 2022 season with a knee injury, rupturing his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
After using the off-season period to continue his recovery, McGillvary has been in the gym and running and hopes to be in full training with the rest of the Giants’ squad soon.
“I’ve been taking things a bit steadier,” said the former England international.
“I’ve got a bit of time on my hands before the season starts. I’m not fully with the boys yet but within the next couple of weeks I should be back.”
McGillvary suffered the injury in July, in Huddersfield’s away defeat to St Helens.
Although Ian Watson’s side went on to secure an impressive third-place finish in the Super League table, they were beaten in the opening round of the play-offs by Salford Red Devils to bring their campaign, which also featured McGillvary’s first major club final in the Challenge Cup, to a disappointing close.
“It’s been really stressful,” said McGillvary of his lay-off.
“There was the worry that I’d done an even more serious injury than I actually had.
“Then watching the boys in that last bit of the season and how we finished the season was really frustrating.
“It’s not been good but I’ve had some down time in the off-season to get mentally right. I’m back in training now and I’m really looking forward to the new season.
“I’ve been fortunate in my career not to pick up any really serious injuries. The surgeons are pretty confident that once I’m back out on the field I’ll be all good to go and it’ll be like normal.”