THEY say you get only one chance to make a first impression, and Adam Elliott admits wishing he could have his time over again.
Having joined the Newcastle Knights at the end of last season on a three-year deal, the former Canberra and Canterbury back-rower was desperate to be involved in the round-one clash with the Warriors, despite an osteo pubis issue that had troubled him for months.
So after receiving a late clearance from Newcastle's medical staff, he was selected for the trans-Tasman clash and promptly aggravated the injury, which meant he spent the next 10 weeks on the sidelines.
"In hindsight, I definitely do wish I didn't play," Elliott said this week. "I would have been back a lot earlier.
"But that was my decision, and I thought I'd be right.
"I hadn't had this injury before, so I didn't know how risky it would be in terms of re-injuring it. To be honest, I was probably more disappointed with the performance I put in in round one.
"I hold myself to a high standard, and the injury aside, there were a few moments where I really let the team down, because my body wasn't up to it.
"So it was definitely a big lesson to learn."
Elliott was in no mood to make the same mistake twice and worked tirelessly in preparation for his return, against the Gold Coast Titans in round 11.
"It was frustrating, but it was also a really good period to work on myself, and just work on the things that I needed to work on in my game," he said.
"It's something that when it gets taken away from you for such a long time, something that you love, you realise that you're pretty lucky to play it.
"From a positive point of view, I was obviously trying to stay as upbeat as I could, as disappointing as it was.
"But I'm definitely very grateful to be back playing and I'm not taking it for granted."
Elliott said after intensive rehabilitation and physio, his groin was now "as strong as ever".
"I do some really detailed testing each week," he said. "My scores are all staying up nice and high and actually improving, so that's a good sign for me."
Elliott is clearly intent on making up for lost time.
The 28-year-old, a former NSW Country and Indigenous All Stars representative, has now strung together three consecutive games for Newcastle, gradually increasing his on-field minutes and output each week.
A veteran of 130 top-grade games, the majority of which were during his six seasons at Belmore, Elliott appeared in his first play-off last year when the Raiders upset Melbourne Storm in a do-or-die qualifier at AAMI Stadium.
That taste of post-season action has whet his appetite for more. And Saturday's clash with high-flying Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium should give a clearer indication of whether the Knights, who currently sit a point below the top eight, are genuine contenders for the finals.
"They're a really good side," Elliott said of Brisbane.
"But I think we're starting to figure out that the more we worry about other teams, the worse we go.
"So I think this week we've just got to really worry about ourselves.
"Hold our standards at training to a really high level, worry about our own individual prep, individuals making sure they turn up and do their job as part of the team.
"I think that's the only way we're going to beat them, because they've a very classy side."
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