JACK Viney says that his injury setback at the start of the season did not prevent him from making an impact this year.

Viney, who sustained a fractured fibula in round two against Greater Western Sydney, spent six weeks on the sidelines before making his return in round nine against Port Adelaide in Alice Springs.

Speaking to Dee TV, Viney said that after having his “best” pre-season yet, his injury only made him more determined to bounce back. 

“[The injury] was extremely frustrating because I felt that it was finally my season to find a bit of form and consistency,” he said.

“I took that pretty hard but I worked extremely hard during that time in rehab to make sure that when I came back, I was fit and could get straight back into it and into the form I had previous to the injury.”

Viney said he had no concerns about bypassing the VFL and going straight back into the side in round nine as he was confident with his rehabilitation.

“Personally I knew that I was right to go; I’d done everything possible in rehab and had worked my butt off,” he said.

“I’d trained harder than I’d ever trained before so I knew that my fitness was up to scratch and I was confident in my ability to be able to perform if I did come back.”

Reflecting on his year, Viney said he was “proud” of his form after returning from injury, producing his strongest season yet at Melbourne.

“It’s been positive because it’s hard to find momentum in AFL football; it’s one of the toughest things to do, so to be able to find a bit of consistency, which is something I’ve struggled with, was good.”