โWe f—ing made history,โ he gushed.
Ramseyโs entire family turned out for his long-awaited return, along with Dragons teammates led by prop Blake Lawrie and joined by new Eels flyer Zac Lomax.
Cody Ramsey with family, friends, baby daughters and partner Tahlia after successfully returning to rugby league.Credit: Dragons Digital
It was Lawrie, who has been by Ramseyโs side and hospital bed throughout his recovery, in the young fullbackโs sights first once he was called from the field.
โI walked over to โBlockaโ [Lawrie] first and he got me going a little bit,โ Ramsey told the Dragons website.
โI was already a little bit emotional walking off, and then as soon as I saw my partner and my little girl on the side of the field, you know, you canโt really contain it. I never thought that theyโd be able to watch me play a game of football, and today they got the opportunity to.
โEvery day that I sat in hospital, I thought about getting out on that field and today I got the opportunity.
โMy whole familyโs here. It was very emotional, but I feel like Iโm well-prepared. I wouldnโt put myself out there if I didnโt think I was in the right position.โ
Ramsey is still short of the 90 kilograms he weighed in late 2022, when he first pulled up in agonising pain from a nine-kilometre run during pre-season training.
Late last year he knocked off a significant milestone when he reached 78 kilograms, his playing weight when he made his NRL debut in 2020.
The Dragons have been incredibly careful with his return to contact and match training. The final year of his contract was split across the 2024 and 2025 seasons to ensure Ramsey wasnโt rushing to try and keep his career alive.
Cody Ramseyโs remarkable comeback is gathering momentum.Credit: Sylvia Liber
The bombs taken under pressure and carries into defence on Saturday were just the latest in a summer of stern examination from his teammates.
Ramsey has been adamant throughout his 896-day absence that he will play in the NRL again.
โIโve had so many messages from kids that have had this happen to them,โ Ramsey told this masthead in December. โAnd Iโm in a position now where weโre like, Cody Ramseyโs got the same condition as you, but heโs medically retired, or heโs given up.
โThatโs not the Cody Ramsey I want to be. I want to be the first person in the NRL who has played with a small bowelโฆ I donโt want to play the victim. I just want to get on with life.โ
On sun-drenched Saturday at Henson Park, life was pretty good for Cody Ramsey.
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