Travelling with two Canberra friends, the trio had a quiet night because they had an early for a flight to Berlin the next morning, instead Roberts spent a week in hospital.

The midfielder was initially oblivious to the severity of his injuries and thought he could return to Canberra in time to help Tuggeranong charge into the finals.

But when doctors told him he could lose his hearing in one ear, the situation became "intense".

Roberts spent the next month recovering at his parents house, who were living in Italy at the time, before he was medically cleared to fly home.

He hasn't missed a session since Tuggeranong's preseason began in December and made his long-awaited return in their 2-2 draw against ladder-leaders Canberra FC last week.

Roberts knows he gave everyone a "pretty big scare" and said he's relieved to have walked away without any permanent injuries.

"The pain kicked in once I got to the hospital, one of the nurses pressed a spot in back of my head to comfort me and as soon she did that I vomited all over the bed," Roberts said.

"I was bleeding from the brain and had severely bruised it. I fractured the mastoid bone just behind the ear, it was the first bone I've ever broken.

"One of the nurses said you might be deaf in this ear and I was like 'far out, this is intense'. The constant headaches didn't stop for five days.

"I lost seven kilos in hospital because I had no appetite and when I did eat I’d throw it straight back up. I went from 72kgs to 65kgs.

"Things could have ended a lot worse, I’m extremely lucky to be back to my normal self, any minor difference in the injury and I could have had lasting brain damage."

Roberts has watched Tuggeranong's stellar start to the season from the sideline and is now determined to throw himself into their finals charge.

"About six weeks ago my doctor had been talking to neurosurgeons and said 'we’ll get you in for a cat scan and if it comes up how we want then you've got the all clear'," Roberts said.

"That scan came back good and then I started full training. It was hard watching from the bench but honestly I was just happy to still be back training and getting around the boys.

"It was very exciting playing last week but nerve-racking too, it was the most nervous I've ever been for a game.

"It wasn't my best performance but I'm confidence all this time off will be good for me and I'll come back a better player.

"The boys have been killing it and I'm definitely keen to keep working and make that top four which Tuggeranong hasn't done for a while."

Roberts has had just one drink since the accident and Tuggeranong coach Mitch Stevens said watching him get through 57 minutes last week was fantastic reward for effort.

"We took the injury really seriously because we knew it would be potentially life-threatening if he came back too soon," Stevens said.

"In my head I was sitting there thinking we can nearly write-off this season. It may not sound like much to most people, but to keep turning up to training when you know you can't compete, is huge.

"He had to make significant lifestyle changes and to be fit enough to play almost 60 minutes against the league-leaders, really says a lot about him."

Meanwhile, Canberra FC crushed Belconnen United 3-0 to book their spot in the Federation Cup final where they'll meet Gungahlin United.

CANBERRA PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND 10

Saturday: Tuggeranong United v Riverina Rhinos at Greenway Enclosed, 3pm.

Saturday: Woden-Weston v Cooma Tigers at Woden Park Enclosed, 3pm.

Sunday: Canberra FC v Canberra Olympic at Deakin Stadium, 3pm.

Sunday: Gungahlin United v Belconnen United at Gungahlin Enclosed, 3pm.