HE won the Sexiest Man in Rugby League title last year and appears naked but for a few strategically-placed branches in a 2007 calendar which raises money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Its safe to say former Nambour Crusher Ben Ross is pretty comfortable in front of a camera.
But during his six-month rehabilitation from a total knee reconstruction in April, Ross got behind the lens instead of in front of it.
The 25-year-old State of Origin star scored some work as a photographer for Fast Fours magazine, a publication that combines most males two great passions fast cars and scantily-clad young women.
I was lucky enough to get a bit of work at Fast Fours, taking photos of cars and girls, stuff like that, Ross said. Ive always had an interest in photography, I was just lucky enough I had a mate working at the magazine and they gave me an opportunity and it was a chance I took with both hands.
The work as a photographer was a saviour for Ross, who admits the countless hours spent training in solitude were difficult.
Ross trained by himself for most of his gruelling and painstaking recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, sustained tackling former team-mate Joel Clinton in the Cronulla Sharks round-eight clash with Penrith.
But the lonely road to recovery has finally ended for Ross. Last week he started 2007 pre-season training with his Sharks team-mates and he cant wait to rip and tear in 2007.
While most players hate the tedium and gut-busting sessions during pre-season, for Ross it is exciting.
It means hes back.
Im back into full training, he said.
But Im just a bit slower on the agility things. I have to take my time getting that stuff back.
Ross dropped four kilograms from his frame during the recovery period and now tips the scales at 110kg, which he hopes will make him more mobile next season.
The 25-year-old had his first run on Monday and said his knee pulled up better than expected.
It is a relief to get back into it, he said.
I didnt think my knee would be this good so quickly.
Last week all we did was the rowers and bikes.
Monday was the first day of running and it pulled up perfect, I do a fair bit of exercise on it every day and it normally swells up.
But it hasnt swollen at all, so Im pretty happy.
Ross admits there were some pretty dark moments throughout the arduous rehabilitation.
You get very depressed, he said.
Football is taken away from you.
Having to lie in bed for weeks and having to train by yourself, you do get down.
You dont know what to do with yourself.
You dont feel part of the team at all when youre injured.
Its hard, you go to watch the game and it feels like youre watching another team running around, even though theyre your close mates.
Youre out of the loop. Whether they win or lose is up to them. Youve got nothing to do with it at all.
Getting back into full training is not the only reason Ross is excited.
The arrival of new coach Ricky Stuart and Queensland recruits Josh Hannay and Brett Seymour have also given the State of Origin prop reason to look forward to 2007.
Ricky will play me the way he wants a front rower to play for Australia, Ross said.
So I suppose it gives me a bit of a boost for making those kind of rep squads ... it gives me a bit more incentive to perform and impress on any occasion.
