Cross injured an ankle in his side’s round 19 loss to West Coast and feared the worst after an initial negative report from doctors.
Now fit and injury-free following a relentless rehabilitation program, the 26-year-old had some anxious moments in the weeks following his injury.
"There was a couple of tears that it might have been over," he said from Whitten Oval on Tuesday.
"You work so hard during the pre-season and during the year to play in these types of games and to think it might have been over was quite devastating.
"But I’m here, I’m happy [and] the ankle’s feeling really good."
While not playing from rounds 19-21, Cross said he still forced himself to perform many "one per centers" in the hope of making a speedy return – from diet supplements to daily physiotherapy treatments.
And even his wife, Sam, came along for the ride.
"There’s a new machine that we use here called the Game Ready, which is an ice compression machine," he said.
"That’s something that I’ve used a lot. I sleep with it as well … I had it in the bed and Sam, she’s taken a side seat for a while."
Cross joked that with the machine working wonders his wife would likely return to their bed "once the season’s over". However, he soon added: “No, it sits beside the bed and it keeps her up. She’s not too happy about it.
"[But they’re] the things we do. She sacrifices more things than I do, really."
The ankle injury, which required surgery to remove floating bone in the joint, is now a behind him. And Cross, one of the Bulldogs’ best in their semi-final win over the Brisbane Lions after minimising Simon Black’s impact, is only looking forward.
He said he was likely to again get a run-with role when his side tackled the Saints but acknowledged his role would require more than stopping his direct opponent.
"Who it’s going to be [that I play on], honestly I’m not sure," he said.
"They’ve got so many through there [the midfield] that it’s probably going to be more a team effort than anything.
"I’m not the only one who’ll probably have a job. The main thing is we have to win contested ball this week and I’m going to have to be in there getting my hands and knees dirty to help us win this week."
