It’s been a long, painful journey of recovery for former All Australian representative Nathan Bock, the Gold Coast SUNS Vice Captain enduring months of painful rehabilitation after snapping his leg in 2012.

While most AFL players are off enjoying their off season break, Bock has endured further surgery in a bid to be pain free when he commences what is expected to be a gruelling pre-season campaign.

 “We think there is still some valuable football left in Nathan,” GM of Football Operations Marcus Ashcroft told AFL.com.au’s Gillette Trade Radio on Wednesday. 

“He’s had two serious injuries which have kept him out of footy for a considerable amount of time, so we still think he has plenty to offer the Club.”

Determined not to let the injury get the better of him, the 2008 All Australian pushed through the pain and worked around the clock to ensure he remained on track for a return to football, his efforts rewarded when he ran out with the SUNS NEAFL team against the Brisbane Lions reserves at Coorparoo Park.

Seven NEAFL matches and 20 goals later, including a nine-goal haul against Aspley, Bock made a surprise return to the Premiership arena when he boarding a flight to Western Australia to replace zippy forward Andrew Boston against the Eagles Coast at Patersons Stadium. 

Although the Eagles would go on to spoil Bock’s senior return, the 30-year-old elder statesman reminded Gold Coast fans across the country why he was snapped up as the Club’s first uncontracted AFL player, finishing with ten disposals, five marks (three from inside-50) and two goals in less than three quarters of football.

He would manage three more appearances in the top grade, before the Club’s medical and high performance team declared Bock would be iced for the remainder of the season to ensure he return fit and ready for a pain-free 2014 campaign. 

A 40cm tibial nail (steel rod) placed inside Nathans shattered leg during surgery was removed on August 13^th, Club medicos confident, that with time, it will allow the veteran defender to make a full recovery and return to his barnstorming best.  

Despite demonstrating his ability to provide his midfielders with a strong target as a lead-up forward, Ashcroft said there was a strong possibility the Gold Coaster would spend more time down back next season, in a bid to provide more support for rising defenders Rory Thompson and Sam Day.

“We think he’ll start down back, which will also allow him to get a better feel for the game again,” Ashcroft said.

“We know can also go forward with his flexibility though, but initially we think he’ll be better placed in defence.”

“Regardless, we know how well he can play, and we’re confident under a full pre-season he’ll be ready to play Round 1 and help us improve as a team.”