This season has not quite gone according to plan for Tohu Harris but now he is back in purple and determined to finish on a high note.
Harris went through his first four seasons in the NRL without missing a single game through injury.
However he has played just nine of a possible 22 games in 2017.
A foot injury late in pre-season caused him to wait until Round 9 to play his first game of the season while Saturday’s win over the Knights saw the 25-year-old return from a shoulder injury after four weeks on the sidelines.
Often named Mr. Reliable for his incredible resilience, this year has seen Harris enter unchartered waters.
“It is extremely hard,” Harris said.
“This is the first season I’ve missed games through injury so it is something I’ve had to learn pretty much.
“Not being able to do anything on game day. You are not a part of all of that and it is just a strange feeling.
“That is something that is hard to get used to but I’ve had a lot of chances to get used to it.”
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However Harris hopes to now stay fit and healthy for the remainder of the year.
The fact this season will be his last in Melbourne leaves the second rower motivated to finish his career in purple on a high.
Patience has certainly been a virtue in 2017, hopefully now the focus can be on the football.
“It was tough to deal with but I knew it was important to take the time to get it right,” Harris said.
“We’ve got a great performance staff here and the physios put a lot of work into it and made sure I stayed patient.
“I have been extremely lucky, especially in the first four years. It must have all just caught up I guess. I don’t think it shakes my confidence but it does test the patience and different things like that.”
