NRL: Injury problems behind Tomkins

Sam Tomkins in action against the Eels. Photo / Getty

Sam Tomkins believes his knee injury problems are behind him as the Warriors return to NRL action this weekend.

Melbourne Storm's visit to Mt Smart Stadium this Sunday is the first of nine consecutive games the Warriors face before the play-offs.

Five wins from their last seven matches means the Warriors are seventh in the ladder, with each side from fourth to eighth level on 20 points - two points behind Sydney Roosters in third.

Tomkins suffered a partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee back in March and only returned to the side last month.

"It feels good, finally," said Tomkins. "It took a bit of time but it's been good the last couple of games. Obviously having the weekend off has helped it again. We ice it up after each session to make sure there's no swelling.

"The body feels really good and to be feeling like that two months before the end of a season is not normal for me. Hopefully this knee injury could be a blessing in disguise for me.

"I don't beat myself up about it because it's an injury that couldn't have been prevented. I'm over that now and I can look towards finishing strong."

Tomkins has featured in back to back wins since his comeback and they were two of the Warriors' best performances of the season - the 36-14 win on the Gold Coast was then followed up with a commanding 30-8 home win over Canberra Raiders.

Tomkins added: "We've got a couple of months left before the finals now and it's vital that everybody puts their best foot forward now and really has a dig. It seems like the season has gone real quick.

"We're not in a bad spot and we're in the eight. We want to climb that ladder. Hopefully we'll be good throughout the next nine games and thoroughly cement our spot there."

The Storm also had a bye last weekend but their form before their week off was very different to the Warriors as they lost three consecutive games. They've slipped down to fifth and are currently level on points with the Warriors.

"We've got a little bit of momentum and hopefully we can continue that," Tomkins added. "Every bloke in every NRL team wants to win the competition.

"We're playing a few teams in the next few weeks that are above us and it's time to starting knocking down teams a little bit higher than us."