Drew Hutchison's 2021 NRL campaign finally seems to be gaining some momentum, after what can only be described as a disjointed start.
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The Albion Park-Oak Flats product, after not being selected for round one, featured off the interchange bench for the Roosters against the Tigers and Rabbitohs.
Then the season-ending injury to five-eighth Luke Keary (ACL) opened the door for Hutchison to start in the halves alongside young star Sam Walker.
That halves pair guided the tri-colours to wins in four of their next five matches, including a 38-4 smashing of the Knights in round eight.
Just when it seemed like the Group Seven junior was starting to play up to his potential, he suffered a sickening rip/punctured lung injury against the Eels and was sidelined for the next six rounds.
As excruciating as the injury looked to the crowd, the calm 26-year-old took it all in his stride, in an attempt to return to the field as soon as possible.
"Through the whole process, I can't speak highly enough of the Roosters medical staff, who remained calm during it all - they made me feel like I wasn't in any trouble whatsoever.
"The specialists I dealt with were unbelievable and made my road to recovery all that smoother.
"A couple of weeks ago, when I returned to the side, the process for me was trying to get in as many deep and long breaths as I could.
"Admittedly, when I first came back, I'd be good for a couple of minutes but then it would all hit me at once and I'd be really fatigued.
"Like everyone, I was a little short of breath on Saturday against the Cowboys but I feel that was more of a representation of the overall fatiguing game.
"Thankfully, there's been no long-term ramifications from the injury and I've been able to return to full fitness in quite a short amount of time."
Hutchison made his return via the interchange bench in round 16 before starting at six for the club's two most recent wins against the Bulldogs and Cowboys.
"The body is feeling solid - I've noticed a big improvement the past few weeks," he said.
"I'm also happy with the way I'm playing, which is what you want this time of year heading into the finals."
Making things more tricky for the former St George Illawarra Dragon and his side is they were relocated into a Queensland hub last week, to avoid the COVID-19 lockdowns.
"To be honest, the move has been pretty good so far - obviously we've had about a week up here and everyone's starting to settle in and get used to it," he said.
"Everyone just took it in their strides and got on with it for the good of the competition."
As happy Hutchison is in the Queensland bubble, it means he will be away from his partner Kelsey, who is pregnant with their first child.
"It's very exciting and I actually found out a couple of days before the injury against Parramatta, so it was a bit of a rollercoaster there at the start," he said.
"It's really starting to sink in now after we've been able to share the news and I'm really looking forward to it, especially right now with me being away from Kelsey.
"It's the tough sacrifice we've got to make but we both know it's for a purpose - she knows I'm only a phone call away and will do everything I can from here to make this as easy for us both.
"Kelsey will stay at home and work, as it's just easier for her to stay down there with all her doctors' appointments - it'd be a really big ask for her to come up here with everything going on."
Another exciting aspect to highlight how Hutchison's prospects as on the ascension is the fact the off-contract half admittedly talks are underway between him and the club on a new multi-year deal.
"Things between the club and my management are moving along quite nicely and we've got a deal in place for the next couple of years - there are just a few little details that are getting sorted out before it's official," he said.
"It's very exciting from my perspective because I'm really happy to be part of this great club and want to keep it going as long as possible.
"My preference was always to stay, as it's really special to sit in the team room and pull on a jersey with so much history like the Roosters'."
These talks come off the back of what Roosters coach Trent Robinson labelled his club's 'most patient performance of the season'.
"It was such a tough game and the way the boys hung in there in the first half was incredible - everyone just kept turning up for one another," Hutchison, who's joined be fellow Group Seven talent Josh Morris at the Roosters, said.
"It was really special to be a part of because we really pride ourselves on hanging tough with opponents, as we know things are bound to turn around eventually, which makes it all the more satisfying when they do.
"It was a game where we had to work hard for everything.
"Especially in my role, where I try and complement Sam [Walker] as best as I can - he's an exceptional player and I love playing outside him each week.
"Part of our jobs is to work together and get the best out of the team, and after working quite hard at that during the week, I thought we were able to do that for the team on Saturday.
"There are positive signs there and us two are going to work extremely hard together towards the end of the season, to put us and the team in the best position to win."
Their next chance to do so will be against the Knights, fresh off a 48-4 thumping at the hands of the Storm, on Friday at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
"It's going to be an interesting week, as they [the Knights] are staying right next door to us in the hotel," he said.
"As a group, we made a really strong start on what we wanted to achieve while in Queensland and our job this week is squarely focused on building on that, as we head towards the business end of the season."
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