Tate takes first (small) step back after year out

New Zealand Warrior Brent Tate is confident he can get back to his former best, but says it will be a case of taking small steps during the early weeks of the National Rugby League season.
Tate, 27, is on target to play his first game in almost a year when the Warriors face Manly in Auckland on Saturday night in their final trial.
His last outing was back in March in round three against Brisbane, when he suffered a serious injury to his right knee and his subsequent absence was seen as a key reason for the Warriors' disappointing campaign.
Tate had a disrupted pre-season because of a quad strain, which meant he didn't get back running until a fortnight ago.
But he was confident he would be able to get back to the level of performance for the Warriors to be pushing for Queensland and Kangaroo selection again.
"Bloody oath I am," he said yesterday. "I definitely feel I can get back to that, but it's small steps. I'm not expecting in the trial this weekend or in round one to be the player I was before because physically I'm not there yet.
"It's going to take a while and it's about putting small blocks in place and building on that."
The knee injury was the second Tate suffered in  two years.
In 2007, he was cut down by similar anterior cruciate ligament damage to his other knee while on State of Origin duty.
Tate was happy with how his recovery had gone after he limped off against the Broncos.
Knowing from the start that he would be out for a lengthy period meant he could take his time to get right.
He said the main thing he was lacking was fitness, "just because I haven't had the time running around the paddock".
"We're worked really hard, but there's no substitute for running," he said.
"I'm going to be a bit underdone in the early rounds, but I'm confident I'll make it up pretty quick, and it will take me only a few games and I will be back fine."
When Tate returned to action in February 2008 from his first knee reconstruction, it was also against Manly in a trial.
Tate went to play a key role in the Warriors' run to within one match of the grand final that year, as well as fighting his way back into the Queensland and Australian sides.
He was hoping the coincidence of a second comeback against Manly in a trial boded well for the months ahead.
"If I have as good a season as I did then, I'll be pretty happy," he said. "Let's hope it's a good omen."
While Tate is likely to take the field  at North Harbour Stadium, new skipper Simon Mannering, former captain Steve Price and hooker Ian Henderson will again be on the sidelines because of injury. NZPA