Razor-sharp Gillett delighted to be back
Matt Gillett's match-winning try for Brisbane against Parramatta on Friday helped erase some of the pain of spending 10 weeks on the sidelines with a serious foot injury.
The 2010 NRL Rookie of The Year raced over from 30 metres with five minutes remaining to seal a 16-12 win for a youthful Broncos side missing six senior players due to State of Origin commitments, a performance coach Anthony Griffin hailed as a great day for the club.
It was only Gillett's second game back after undergoing surgery that involved inserting a screw in his right foot, and the exciting 22-year-old, who played both at centre and in the backrow against the Eels, said he was delighted to be back.
"It was pretty tough not being involved, I was in a plaster for a couple of weeks, then a moonboot, and off my feet for a while, so to be back playing again and scoring a try is great," Gillett told AAP.
"I was pretty happy with the try, I got the ball, Casey (McGuire) missed the tackle and there was some open space and I managed to find the energy to get to the line.
"To come straight back into the NRL, it shows the coach has real faith in me and that is a boost to your confidence.
"To be back out there and play the full 80 minutes was great."
Gillett said securing victory against a desperate Eels side who were desperate for the win was a sweet moment for the baby Broncos.
"We have a lot of faith in the boys coming through here and when you have big results like this it makes it all worthwhile for everyone involved with the Broncos, players, coaches and this is a special win alright," he said.
Griffin said Gillett's try underlined his quality and vowed he will only get better the more games he plays.
"He played 80 minutes in only his second game back and we were really pleased with that," Griffin said.
"To have the energy and ability to come up with that play when we needed it so late in the game, it just shows you the class of the guy and there is more to come."
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