'Everything is unknown': Dolphins prop Tom Flegler reveals 'last resort' in bid for NRL return

Dolphins prop Tom Flegler has opened up on his extended absence due to injury, saying he is "confident" he will return to the field.

The front-rower hasn't played since the early rounds of 2024 after suffering a shoulder injury, which he initially downplayed as being just a burner.

However, it was later revealed that Flegler had nerve damage, and in the 12 months that have passed, grave concerns have been held for his NRL future.

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Speaking to former Broncos coach Kevin Walters on the Inside Ball Podcast, the enforcer explained where he was at in his road to recovery and the "unknown" nature of his injury.

"I'm confident I will come back," Flegler said.

"I will be back next year, I could be back this year, I don't know. I'm taking it month by month at the moment. I will definitely come back, but it is worrying.

"When you do an ACL or have a shoulder reco, you know it's either six or nine months, give or take a month here and there. You can see a progression the whole way, but with nerve damage, the progression is minimal, it's very slow.

"Everything is unknown ... I don't know exactly when I'm going to be back."

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At just 25 years of age, potentially seeing one of the game's best forwards never play again would be devastating, so Flegler's latest comments come as a bit of a relief.

With his comeback date still unclear, Flegler did reveal the "last resort" that doctors took in a bid to get the State of Origin star fit and firing again.

"Once you get a nerve transplant, that's a last resort," he said.

"Sometimes the nerve can come back naturally and we tried that but it didn't [come back] unfortunately, so I had a nerve transplant.

"I do have strength. It is getting there. It is starting to improve, but it is very small steps.

"If you saw me train, you would have no idea I'm injured. Hopefully I'm back soon."

Flegler played in Brisbane's 2023 grand final loss to the Panthers and at the time was both a Kangaroos and Maroons representative.