Cody Ramsey has made a significant stride towards his NRL return, bringing smiles to faces in his first field training session with St George Illawarra teammates after an 18-month battle with a severe illness.
The Dragons speedster, whose career was jeopardised by major medical issues, joined his teammates on the field in Wollongong for his first ball-work session since his diagnosis.
Despite still being far from his former physical condition, Ramsey's determination to defy medical expectations was evident.
“It was amazing to see the smile on his face and how much it meant to him. Look, to be honest, he is a long way away from playing in the NRL, but for everything he has been through, it was just great to see him back healthy and with the boys,” proclaimed Dragons coach Shane Flanagan.
Ramsey's ordeal began when he started experiencing discomfort during a 10-kilometre pre-season run leading into the 2023 campaign. Hospitalised for several weeks, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a condition caused by an immune system malfunction that leads to inflammation and ulcers in the bowel and digestive tract.
The severity of his illness and subsequent surgeries cast doubts on his ability to live a normal life, let alone return to professional sports.
The Dragons had ruled Ramsey out for the 2023 and 2024 seasons based on medical advice but chose to support him by extending his contract. The final year of his deal was split over two seasons, keeping him at the club until at least the end of 2025.
Throughout his rehab, Ramsey remained in close contact with his teammates and was a regular in the gym, working hard to regain the significant weight he had lost.
“He's done a lot of work around the club but he hasn't been able to get on the field,” Flanagan continued.
“But today he was able to start running again. He warmed up with the boys and was out there running and catching for a while. It was great to see him out there happy, smiling and doing what he loves, which is playing footy with a ball in his hand.
“He's still got a long way to go to get on top of his health issues, but it was good for him to be back out there. If you told people 12 months ago that he would be back out there running with the boys, they wouldn't have believed you. That's how far he has come and that's how much he has had to endure."