INJURIES can be a tough thing to deal with, both mentally as well as physically.

After picking up a concussion injury in the game with Telford Tigers, I was forced to sit out the whole of last weekend, which was a difficult thing to endure.

For me, in the week leading up to the game is not too bad but the actual game day is worse because you have to do the things you would normally do to prepare for a game, which last weekend, I pretty much did as normal but knowing I wasn’t going to play was a strange feeling.

Because of the injury I had, it meant I wasn’t able to do a lot. It is a lot tougher if you are not feeling too bad and you know you are not able to play.

Concussion is a difficult one. Your body feels ok but you know you are not able to play, so it is a strange one to deal with.

I think longer term, they can be quite difficult to deal with. There are certain players that deal with them in different ways and I think it just comes with experience.

I prefer to be around. I’ll go to training and I’ll go to the games, even if I am not playing.

It is not easy when you are watching a game. Especially as you are often watching from the stands and you don’t get a feel for what is going on like you do when you are on the bench with everyone.

Especially when we struggle a little bit - not just because of the poor performance but maybe the fatigue, and you know you would be helping if you were out there.

Even when I am injured, I like to go into the dressing room. I think different people are different with it.

I quite like to go down there to get a feel for what is going on, especially because you’re not getting a feel for what is going down on the bench and what the mood is.

There are advantages and disadvantages of being able to view the game at a distance.

When the adrenaline is not there, you can be clearer about whether something is not working or whether something might help.

We will take stats if you are injured. So for Basingstoke, I took down who won what face offs, net drives and turnovers, so I hand that to Aldy to have a look at and see if there are any patterns developing.

I am hoping to return this weekend when we travel to Sheffield. I went on the ice on Wednesday with the second team but the final call will come from the physio.