A ruptured patella knee tendon had almost cast aside the career of Connor Watson for good in his unaccustomed role of rugby league's forgotten blackfulla.

While Reece Walsh and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow each stole headlines for the Indigenous cause in the first year at new clubs for both emerging stars – and in Alofiana Khan-Pereira's case, his first season in the NRL altogether – it was a hollow 2023 for Watson in comparison.

The Sydney Roosters utility spent the NRL season not only sidelined with a debilitating injury altogether for 558 days, but did so without the usual concerned applause from fans after either hobbling or being stretchered off at a game that most players at least get the honour to go through.

The moment came ingloriously in front of just teammates in one of 2023 preseason sessions after partaking in 22 matches during the 2022 season of the Gomeroi man's return to the club that first handed out his debut back in 2016.

The 27-year-old Watson remembers the day well after a training drill went awry.

"When I did it, it was a wet day and I had to ring a mate to drive me home with the straight brace, (telling him) 'You're going to have to carry me up the stairs'," he told Nine media.

"One mate is holding my leg straight, two are carrying me up the stairs.

"And they dropped me on the lounge and set me up, but I was still in my wet training gear.

"So I'm waiting for my girlfriend to get home on the Friday, surgery was (going to be) on the Monday, so that whole weekend I was getting sponge baths. It was a gross time.

"But if you don't laugh, you cry.

"You've just got to let go of all those things – it taught me a lot.

"I need to be more patient. There were lessons through it and I'm glad I'm through it."

Even though his much more patient partner, Kiana, than the patient might not agree as "hygiene had to go out the window for a few weeks".

"For the first week, I reckon I didn't shower," Watson added.

Watson had been left confined to a wheelchair for about 60 days out of those 558 days between his last and first appearance back to ensure the right leg was kept straight.

Fast forward several months and the also once Newcastle star had teetering issues to get back to a full recovery.

The knee was not reacting well after the surgery, after much of the rehabilitation and before he got down to the serious training.

At one point, retirement was uttered in private conversations but before the uncontracted Watson was also re-signed after two years back with the Bondi club after starting out with two years there.

"Definitely, I had thoughts and conversations (about retirement) with Mum because the knee, every time I would train, it would just swell up, so we just put it on ice for a while," Watson said.

"There are those thoughts there, but I love this sport and I want to keep playing it for as long as I can.

"The focus was always to get back."

So much so that Watson discussed options with mum Jodie after having to move home because her place did not have stairs.

Despite not having a contract past 2023 ahead of the next preseason, that should not have been the least concern for Watson.

Canterbury and Wests Tigers had made contact to rebuild their own playing rosters with the valued commodity that can play up to five positions, including around the rucks of hooker and in the open spaces of full back, one of the few known players at the top level to do so.

But the Roosters kept the faith in the man they lured back from the Knights more than a year before for a new two-year deal.

"It was freeing for sure," Watson said.

"Especially when you've got your finance guy in your ear, 'You need to get this sorted mate, you've got stuff to pay for'.

"When we worked (a deal) out and it was going to happen, it definitely took a weight off my shoulders. I tried not to play into it too much, but subconsciously those things can weigh on you."

The comeback to the NRL came close to happening, of all places, in Las Vegas in what would have been a rags-to-riches return – and then back to the poor house for a bit.

Watson was named the HIA replacement player, but he wasn't required in the groundbreaking encounter with the Brisbane Broncos.

The balance of the Roosters' side two weeks later did not call on Watson to play, so the game-starved talent returned to the NSW Cup where he changed in the demountable dressing rooms at St Mary's to take him back to his humble roots.

Finally in the third match of the NRL season, Watson ran out in the massive win over archrivals South Sydney in front of a packed crowd.

The roar of the Roosters fans was enough to lift Watson towards crossing for a 61st minute try after starting off the interchange bench to put the hosts up 28-6 towards a 42-point thrashing.

"I'll play any position I can hop into and do a job," Watson said.

"That's the role I want to do for the team."