HE hasn't been seen on a football field for nearly nine months, but Justin Hodges is on the verge of his long-awaited comeback.
The Broncos ace completed the most promising session of his exhaustive rehabilitation from an achilles injury.
In a big boost to Brisbane's hopes of clinching a 19th consecutive playoffs berth, Hodges is on course to return before the finals if he can avoid aggravating the injury in coming weeks.
Hodges, who has not played since Australia's Four Nations defeat of England on November 15 last year, impressed coaching staff with his progress after a light hit-out at training last Sunday.
Broncos coach Ivan Henjak is yet to set a comeback date, but Hodges is hopeful of being cleared for Brisbane's round 24 clash against Newcastle on August 20.
Henjak, who last month feared Hodges was in danger of being ruled out for the season, said the strike centre's return would lift the spirits of a side that faces a season-defining clash against title favourites the Dragons this Sunday.
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"That's the best I've seen Justin run for a while," Henjak said. "Things are a bit more positive. He is still a while away but we're a lot more positive about where he is now than we were three weeks ago.
"We'll know more in the next three weeks. I don't think he will be back before then but we'll get a better indication.
"If he does come back it will be a massive boost for us, not just personnel wise, but confidence wise for everyone else in the team.
"They'll get a huge lift out of Justin coming back."
Despite barely being able to break into a trot in the past nine months, Hodges has maintained his playing weight and is hovering around the 95kg mark.
The Maroons sensation, who plans to begin running with more intensity in the next fortnight, said he wasn't mentally scarred by the injury.
"It was pretty hard mentally at the start, for it to happen when it did was a massive kick in the guts, but as a professional sportsman these are the things you have to go through sometimes," he said.
"Whenever you get a bad injury you have little doubts on whether you will be the same player. I've had a lot of time to think over the last six months, but I've come back from my shoulder and knee and I will do it again this time.
"Hopefully I come back soon. I was rushing it a bit early on but I'm aiming to be back before the finals."
Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer said the side was sweating on a Hodges comeback.
"We've all been seeing Hodgo regularly and we know he's been frustrated with it, but he's not far away now," he said.
"He's doing everything right, so hopefully for his sake and the Broncos' sake he will be back on the field soon.
"It will take him a few weeks to find his feet."
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