Kieran Foran has admitted that some mental hurdles still remain as he looks to traverse the latest glitch in his return to the NRL.
The 28-year-old was ruled out of Sunday's loss to the St George Dragons after injuring his hamstring in the warm-up. Keen to return to the field after 10 months out of the game, the playmaker said he wouldn't risk any more time on the sideline in order to make a good impression for the club.
"I'm optimistic about playing on Sunday but I won't know until I really try and explode off it and take off to how it will hold up," Foran said.
"If I still get a bit of pain there come Friday or Saturday than I'll make the decision to wait another week.
Foran struggled with a shoulder injury for the rest of 2016 which saw him spend the first few months at the Warriors on the perimeter.
Despite being out of the game for so long, Foran said the injury he sustained last week was a surprise.
"I just couldn't believe it.
"I've had no problems with the hamstrings all season and I've done a tonne of running and to get it in a warm up where I wasn't even exploding or doing anything that was too fast.
"It is what it is, I've just got to accept it. The right decision was not to play."
While his return to physical fitness is nearing completion, Foran was coy about the problems that have plagued him since leaving Parramatta.
However, he said he'd turned a corner.
"There's been some difficult times and difficult periods there but I've gotten through it and I've got a great support network around me here in New Zealand, I've got plenty of help and done plenty of work on myself and things I need to work on.
"Mentally I've really noticed a change in myself and I'm starting to turn the corner there, get a smile back on my face which is nice, it's been a while."
Named to start in this week's team to play the Titans, Foran said he just wanted to be back playing footy with any talk of expectations falling on deaf ears.
"I just want to find my feet again, if it is this weekend, I'm not coming out to try and set the world on fire.
"I want to get back to where I was but I know that will take time. I have had a few injuries and I've spent a while on the sidelines so it will take time to find that continuity again. I'm really enjoying just being here with the players and training, I'd love to get out there and mix it with the boys.
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