'I thought it could be the end of rugby': Jack's back ripping in for Hamilton

Seven months after surgery and 18 months since suffering a back injury, Gleeson is back playing first grade for Hamilton.

And the 21 year-old-back-rower produced a typically wholehearted display as a 13-man Hawks held on for a 33-all draw with Merewether at Passmore Oval last Saturday.

Before Saturday, Gleeson's last game in the top grade was a 31-28 win over University in round three of the 2022 season.

He suffered a head knock and had been playing through back pain and decided to get both checked out.

Scans revealed Gleeson had a disc pressing on a nerve in his lower back.

Initially, the doctors tried to treat it, which involved cortisone injections and rehabilitation.

"I thought it could be the end of rugby for me. It was pretty nasty," Glesson said. "I used to run all the time and I wasn't even able to jog around the park. I thought, if I could do that again, I'd be satisfied."

After 12 months of treatment with limited success, Gleeson had a back operation in December.

"I had microdiscectomy surgery, where they shave the disc back and move the nerve out of the way," he said.

The procedure was successful. Gleeson was soon back running and he returned to the rugby pitch last month,

"Through the preseason [coach] Marty Berry was texting me, asking how I was going," Gleeson said. "I went to training to see how it went. It was more in my head."

Gleeson made his return off the bench in second grade, playing 20 minutes, against University. He started in twos the following game against Maitland before promoted to the top grade last round.

"I was happy just to get a couple of game in seconds," Gleeson said.

"Marty was keen for me to have a crack."

Gleeson, whose dad Pat is Hawks stalwart, made his first-grade debut aged 18 under Berry in 2021.

"I love him. He has done quite a bit of boxing so he is fit and has good footwork," Gleeson said. 'He is only a little bloke but he is tough and a good tackler."

Gleeson coaches boxing but no longer fights.

"I was losing too much weight," he said. "I was fighting at 68kg and I couldn't play rugby like that. I am back at 80kg now which is still pretty light."

Gleeson, who has played for the Hawks since he was five and represented NSW Country and NSW Combined Catholic Colleges in the under-16s, is likely to switch from blindside breakaway to openside against Southern Beaches on Saturday.

"It was a tough game against Merewether, but the body has pulled up alright," he said. "I will play wherever Marty needs me. We have quite a few good back-rowers in the club - Liam Bowden, Lachy Summers, James Robertson, Bernie Hati. I'm just glad to be back playing."