After a long lay off, Storm winger Matt Duffie will make his return to football on Saturday with Easts Tigers in Queensland's Intrust Super Cup.
Duffie and Storm's Intrust Super Cup affiliate Easts Tigers will travel to Mackay to face the Cutters on Saturday night. The contest will be Duffie's first time taking the field since he featured in Storm's inaugural Auckland Nines campaign at the beginning of 2014.
The 24-year old has suffered a wretched run with injury over the past two years. After his 2013 season was cut short following an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Duffie then missed the entire 2014 season suffering the same injury during pre-season training in February.
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Duffie last made an appearance for Storm at NRL level in Round 4, 2013, scoring two tries in Melbourne's victory over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
Melbourne Storm Football Director Frank Ponissi said the New Zealand international's attitude, patience and professionalism throughout a difficult period had been exemplary.
"His attitude has been inspirational to the rest of the group, the way he accepted another setback," Ponissi told Storm TV.
"He just has knuckled down, worked hard, he hasn't lost belief.
"He's in our emerging leaders group, he took that with open arms. Lesser players could have thought, I'm just going to have to worry about myself only and get my knee right.
"He is the ultimate team player and because of that he deserves every success he can individually."
