Braydon Preuss is finally fit again and ready to challenge Matt Flynn for the No.1 ruck mantle at Greater Western Sydney.
The former Demon and Kangaroo didn’t play a senior game in his first season last year at the Giants because of a significant shoulder injury, then a torn pectoral muscle.
It was a blow for him and GWS, given the club identified him as Shane Mumford’s ruck successor, with neither Flynn nor Kieren Briggs having played a gxjmtzywame before 2021.
An ailing Mumford, who turns 36 in July, unexpectedly ended up playing 14 matches.
Preuss also developed lower back pain post-season that GWS medical staff initially tried to treat with injections before he went in for surgery in November.
“It sounds scary, but it’s not as big as it sounds – a few AFL players have had it, so it wasn’t too bad,” Preuss told News Corp.
“A disc was just pressing on a nerve (in my lower back), so they had to shave a bit of the disc away.
“I couldn’t do anything for about two months and I lost a bit there, around the core and the legs and whatnot, but I went for a few jogs pre-Christmas.”
Exacerbating Preuss’ rotten luck was his Covid diagnosis shortly after returning to training post-Christmas, which cost him another week in isolation.
He said the virus “cooked” him for the first day or so and impacted him with his running but he took part in match simulation on Thursday.
The challenge for the 26-year-old is not only staying healthy but increasing his fitness and strength bases in time for Round 1 to catch up to Flynn, who is in career-best shape.
“I’ve never been in a position where I felt more comfortable being the No.1 ruck, in terms of being stuck behind ‘Goldy’ (Todd Goldstein) and ‘Gawny’ (Max Gawn) my whole career,” Preuss said.
“That’s nothing against ‘Briggsy’ and ‘Flynny’. It definitely got to me badly last year, but it was good to see how Flynny’s developed and how he’s come back in the pre-season.
“But coming to a new club, I want to get myself in the team; earn my stripes and earn the respect.
“Games lost are games you never get back and I haven’t played in too many. I’ve nearly had more surgeries than games (18), which isn’t a bad stat.”
Preuss’ bruising playing style resembles the retired Mumford – now the ruck coach – more so than Flynn and Briggs, but it remains to be seen what Leon Cameron will do with his ruck trio.
“As of last week, I’m available for selection, which is nice, whether that’s forward-ruck, pure ruck or pure forward,” he said.
“If it was up to me, we’d play all rucks, but unfortunately it’s not.
“In my opinion, if you have ruckmen in the best 22 and there are two of them, you play them, because most ruckmen these days can play up forward, but I’ve got a bit of catching up to do.”
