Ridge wants to put injuries behind him and claim No.13 jersey

[Titan4Life]

NRL season 2015: Titans forward Ben Ridge looks to put injuries behind him and claim No.13 jersey
Todd Balym The Courier-Mail
December 04, 2014 12:00AM SHARE



TITANS forward Ben Ridge wants to fight for the No.13 jersey vacated by Ashley Harrison but he needs to make sure his body is up to the challenge.

The 25-year-old Gold Coast secondrower is coming off groin surgery and a serious shoulder complaint that restricted him to only five NRL games last year, but finally feels free of the injuries that have crippled his career.

It has been a wretched run for the former Australian Schoolboys star, including four ankle surgeries, torn hamstrings, a torn pec muscle and cracked sternum in a career that is only five years and 54 NRL games old.

Almost every time Ridge has put together a solid run of first grade games and felt like he had cemented his spot, injury would strike.

“Hopefully the footy gods are nice to me next year and I pump out a few more games and get back into some good form,” Ridge said.

“My groin had been playing up for a good 18 months so I got surgery on it. It’s just starting to come right now and feeling good and confident in myself now.”

With new coach Neil Henry throwing open a battle for positions next season, Ridge is keen to secure retired Origin star Harrison’s No.13 jumper. He knows he needs to develop the sort of performance levels that made Harrison such a consistent force in the NRL.

“Harro was just a really good worker, very professional off the field as well with his prepping for the games,” Ridge said.

“The biggest thing is trying to be consistent. Just getting out on the field and playing football would be a good start for me.”

Titans frontrower Luke Douglas, who joined Ridge to launch the Salvation Army and K Mart wishing tree appeal by buying $1000 worth of gifts to put under the tree, said Ridge had the potential to become a threat next season.

“You can see him in defence and he can whack,’’ Douglas said. “He is one of the biggest hitters in our team.

“It’s just a matter of keeping him on the paddock and getting that game fitness and someone showing a bit of faith in him

[Titanic]

I had a groin injury once but pulled it back into line.