Max Altus: Sydney-based rake has hardly played the past two seasons

Three seasons into his Sydney-based attempt to become an NRL player, the 21-year-old Farrer alumnus has bemoaned the lack of football he has played over the past two years.

The No 9 was in his second year of Jersey Flegg Cup action with North Sydney when the 2020 season was cancelled after round one due to COVID-19.

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He then signed a one-year deal with Wests Tigers and started 2021 as the hooker for their feeder club, Western Suburbs, in the Ron Massey Cup.

But he missed several games with a wrist injury and then did an ACL, although the competition was soon aborted because of COVID.

Now Altus - who hails from Coonamble - is three months post-surgery.

Remaining at Western Suburbs and lacing up early next season, after recovering from the surgery, was the most likely scenario, he said.

In the meantime, he will continue his heavy-vehicle apprenticeship.

"No 1, I wanna get my knee back on track," he said, "and then try and pump out a full season.

"I've been down here for three years and I've only played one full season ... It's a bit annoying, but it is what it is."

As for his goal of becoming an NRL player, he said the "dream's still alive".

"I still wanna do it," he said, but added that he was focused on playing a full season and getting some consistency under his belt.

In 2018, Altus toured England with the under-18 Australian Schoolboys.

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