Injury-plagued Wallabies centre Josh Flook has cast aside a tumultuous year on the field to ink a contract extension with the Queensland Reds.
Flook hoped for a career-defining campaign in 2025.
But after the 23-year-old scored twice while making two linebreaks in the Reds’ round-three triumph of the Western Force, he was taken from the field, initially believing the injury was not a major concern.
Josh Flook is tackled during a Bledisloe Cup match against the New Zealand All Blacks.Credit: Getty Images
Scans revealed a ruptured tendon, which has kept him out of the game ever since.
But as he announced his one-year contract extension, which will keep him at Ballymore until the end of 2026, Flook declared he was in line to take on the Fijian Drua on Saturday.
“It’s been a struggle of a year – having to sit back and watch the boys play has been pretty tough – but I’m stoked to be staying around,” Flook said.
“I had to get really close to my family and friends because this was a huge year. I was devastated.”
Flook has ticked all the fitness boxes required to be in contention for Queensland coach Les Kiss’ team sheet, having completed the “dreaded 1.2-kilometre Bronco test on Saturday morning”, while completing some speed testing.
“I did a good job of it – unfortunately, I don’t really do things in small values, but I’ve rehabed it really well … and I’ll potentially be back three or four weeks earlier than what we were first thinking.”
