Charlie Sorensen had barely taken flight with Tamworth when his wings were clipped.
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Playing in their pre-season trial against Gunnedah he did his AC and the ligaments in his shoulder.
After being lured over from Pirates, it was far from the start to his time with the Magpies he was hoping for.
Being strongly considered for a starting spot in the back row, instead he had to watch the first half of the season from the sidelines.
Still finding his feet at the club, it was quite tough, he said.
"But I got through it. I kept going to training every week (he just couldn't do the contact work), kept letting the coach know that I was there," he said.
Blake Clout was also a great support.
A third year apprentice plumber, Sorensen works with the star Magpies centre at Thrift Plumbing.
"He encouraged me to keep turning up to training and games," he said.
Clout was a big part in coaxing the 19-year-old across the river. He was probably the main reason he made the move, he said.
Aaron O'Keefe also did a pretty good job of selling the Magpies on him. Whenever he'd get his hair cut the prop would be into him about coming and playing with them.
Fortunately the injury wasn't season-ending, and after coming back through the lower grades, Sorensen was parachuted into the first grade starting side for their clash against Baa Baas on July 1.
And there he has pretty well remained.
"He plays well above his body weight and has no regard for his body," Magpies coach Damian Henry said.
He has also become a valuable asset in the lineout for them.
"They love jumping me because there's only 70kg on me so they can hold me up without struggling too much," Sorensen joked.
Looking forward to getting his first taste of senior finals action on Sunday with the Magpies taking on Armidale in the minor semi-final, he actually thought his season was done after their recent win over Barbarians.
He was expecting to have surgery on his finger after tearing his flexor tendon in that Gunnedah trial as well. But he had left it too long and so it was called off.
"Just in a scrum or a ruck or something I must have wrapped my finger up in [a jersey] and it's twisted it around," he said of the injury, which he called "jersey finger".
"I don't really remember exactly doing it but then I couldn't move it afterwards, couldn't bend it."
He thought it was something that would heal with time, so didn't investigate any further. But it didn't.
Despite the injuries, Sorensen has loved his first season of grade footy.
Coming out of three years of under 18s, it has been "a big step up" but he has relished the challenge, and risen to it.
Sunday's final will be played at Moran Oval, kicking off at 3pm. Prior to that the Magpies women will take on Glen Innes (kick-off 1.45pm).
Second and third grade will meanwhile be involved in the major semi-finals at Bellevue Oval on Saturday, with the club qualifying four teams for the finals for the first time.
