While Flegler hopes to work towards Maroons and Kangaroos recalls, he confirmed that constant management of his shoulder is required for the rest of his career.
“I guess after an injury like this, you’ve sort of got to do a bit of rehab for the rest of your career, it’s just something that happens. But as far as the injury goes, we’ve had a really good recovery and are happy with how it all is,” Flegler said.
“I just have to be a bit cautious in and around the gym, maybe a few extras here and there. That [representative football] is obviously where I’d like to get to in the long run, but short term it’s just about getting back on the field, build more minutes and play some good footy for the Dolphins.”
Flegler says he will be managing his shoulder injury for the rest of his career.Credit: Getty Images
Flegler’s comeback coincided with that of Dolphins skipper Tom Gilbert, who lined up in the front row having recovered from a ruptured pectoral that ended his 2025 campaign after round 11.
That setback followed a ruptured ACL (2024) and dislocated shoulder (2023), which had kept him to just 21 NRL appearances in his three seasons in Redcliffe.
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Gilbert hinted he was likely to back up in next week’s trial against the Warriors, in what could be another opportunity to share the field with star recruit Selwyn Cobbo.
The former Broncos flyer has undergone a significant weight loss transformation in a bid to restore his career, having long been one of the game’s leading talents but criticised for his inability to consistently showcase it throughout a campaign.
While he was limited to just seven touches on Thursday night, he made them count in the centres – finishing with 71 metres and four tackle busts, while often dragging several defenders with him.
“He was awesome, he’s had a great preseason. The big thing was he got fitter and lost a bit of weight, but his application to his footy has been tremendous,” Gilbert said.
“I think it paid off tonight when it was time for him to have a touch or get his hands dirty, he did a really good job of it.
“I think it [the weight loss] is an ongoing little battle, but it’s impressive to see his work ethic, and he’s taking footy really seriously.”
