MATT Cook has thanked the London Broncos medical team for getting him back from a horror injury two months ahead of schedule.

The Broncos second rower spent nine months on the sidelines after tearing both the medial and anterior cruciate ligaments in his left leg during a Challenge Cup tie against Huddersfield last May.

And although there was little to laugh about in Sunday's 28-0 Super League home defeat to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Cook was all-smiles after coming through the game unscathed.

He said: “It was good to be back, although the lungs were a bit dusty. Touch wood it's feeling good now, it's all about getting up to speed on my match fitness and getting more game time.

“It's been a long wait – I had to wait for the medial to heal before I could go in for a reconstruction on the anterior. But I got great treatment and rehab – they done a really good job and I was back two months earlier than originally thought.

“I am now lifting heavier weights than I was before and my legs are as strong as they have ever been, although I have been warned it takes 18 months for the ligaments to fully knit together.

“There were no psychological scars going into the game as I had played a lot of contact with the lads in pre-season – it's just getting used to the fact that people will be coming in looking to take your legs.”

The last time Cook featured in a Super League game, Rob Powell was still in charge at Broncos, and although new boss Tony Rea has seen enough to throw Cook back into the fray, the former Hull KR man admits he still has more to do to impress.

He added: “It's been frustrating as when a new coach comes in you want to impress him, and you don't know what he is thinking player-wise.

“I had to wait a long time before I could show him what I can do, and I still feel I have a lot to offer which he has not seen yet.”

Having lost their opening three games of the season, Broncos sit joint-bottom ahead of Sunday's game at Wigan Warriors, but Cook doesn't think it will be long before they're on the winning trial.

He added: “I've every confidence we can get ourselves out of this. There's not a lot more we can do on the training field in terms of hard work.”