It's almost fitting Melbourne Rebels veteran Julian Huxley is sidelined by an injury that mostly affects young players, because he feels like he's starting his rugby career anew.

The 31-year-old will miss the fledgling Super rugby club's first three trials this month because of osteitis pubis.

It's a setback but after beating a brain tumour diagnosed in 2008 during his playing days with the Brumbies, it's no big deal.

"After a couple of years out of the game, although I was doing my own training, I lost a lot of functional strength I used to have," he said.

"This off-season been about strengthening it back up again and I'm coming good now.

"I was a bit worried before Christmas but it's really progressed."

With pilates and yoga a big focus to improve his core strength, he's hoping to play the Rebels' final trial, against Super heavyweights the Crusaders, and then the opening match against the NSW Waratahs on Feb 18.

The fullback/five-eighth started his Super career in Canberra, moved to the Queensland Reds and then back to the Brumbies, where he underwent an operation and further treatment before he was cleared last March and made a remarkable comeback to top level rugby.

Huxley, who has nine Test caps, said he wanted to put the painful memories behind him and start a new chapter in his life with Melbourne, where he's signed a two-year deal.

He said the biggest drawback to the new injury was that he hadn't been able to contribute in training as he would have liked.

"I feel like a little bit of an outsider, as most footballers will tell you when they're injured and not in there with the guys," he said.

But a philosophical Huxley said he "lets go" of the frustration and doesn't "resist the situation".

"It's what I've learnt to do, there's certain things you can't change so you can't let them wind you up."

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