NRL: Mara determined to return ahead of schedule

Alehana Mara. Photo / Greg Bowker

Warriors hooker Alehana Mara is determined to return from his broken leg ahead of schedule.

The 22-year-old is two weeks into recovering from a broken right fibula, an injury suffered in the opening minutes of the Warriors' victory over Penrith on June 11. He is wearing a moon boot and is expected to be out for six to eight weeks, leaving him on target to be available again for the Warriors' match against Cronulla at Mt Smart on August 5.

The injury was a blow for Mara so soon after earning an NRL recall to replace veteran Nathan Friend, who had been ruled out after breaking his jaw against Brisbane on May 5.

Mara, playing his fourth straight game and only the 14th of his career, was just settling into the rhythm of first-grade football again when he suffered his latest injury.

"It's just one of those setbacks that happen and I'll fight back from it," he said.

"It's boring not being able to do much and wearing the moon boot but it's better than having the leg in plaster."

That Mara was able to play on for as long as he did against Penrith was remarkable.

"The injury happened in about the sixth minute when I ran out of dummy half," he said.

"I heard a click and thought it was my ankle so I just tried to run it off."

In the television coverage of the match, Mara could be seen hobbling about but he kept making it to dummy half and also got involved in a few tackles.