It felt like forever, but I'm really enjoying being back playing

JED REFLECTS ON HIS LONG INJURY LAY-OFF AT HULL

- By DAN TOMLINSON

Jed Cartwright's return to the Hull FC lineup was a long time coming: 15 weeks and 105 days, to be precise, but now that he's back, he's determined to kick on.

Suffering a troublesome hamstring injury while chasing an opposition player at Wakefield back in March, Cartwright has fought through rehab to return, even copping a setback before a pencilled-in comeback at Catalans at the end of May. It wasn't to be.

But the back rower, a towering and welcome presence on Hull's right edge, kept persevering, and eventually, he got his reward, returning against St Helens earlier this month. Touch wood, it stays that way, with Cartwright now preparing for his third game back at Wigan, full of relief but motivated to make his mark on the team.

"It feels so good to be back," Cartwright, speaking to the media, including the Mail, said. "It felt like forever, but I'm really enjoying being back and being around the boys. It really lifts your spirits.

"It's been so frustrating being out. As a player, all you want to do is play, and when you can't, and you're in the rehab environment in the gym and on your own working hard to get back while all the boys are out on the field, it can be really deflating.

"It's a really lonely place, but all the boys were really helpful, and Dad. I speak to my dad all the time, and we catch up when we're not in training. I spend a lot of time with him outside of football.