Draft hopeful Jack Roughsedge feared he would never play football again after being diagnosed with a serious condition last year.
Roughsedge underwent a high tibial osteotomy, an operation during which surgeons would break his tibia and extend the bone via a bone graft.
"I saw a couple of surgeons and they couldn't say whether I would be able to play again," Roughsedge said.
"For a period of time after that I sure did think things were against me. I thought it might be it for me with footy."
Roughsedge had written off the entire 2017 season before his operation but by June he returned to the field for Blackburn. And after four games for Blackburn, he got a call up from the Chargers, running out in round 15 against the Western Jets.
"Being able to come back and play for Oakleigh was a huge bonus, and to play good enough footy to be said to be half a chance of becoming a rookie, it's a pretty good feeling," he said.
"Hopefully, fingers crossed, it will go my way next month."