Now he wants to get back on the field and get his season under way, after two months on the sideline because of a broken jaw.
Slade, fresh off a 25-minute run for the University of Otago premier side in a pre-season match in Timaru last weekend, is fully fit and raring to go.
"The jaw is great. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It took me a while to get my first contact in the game but once that happened it was great," he said.
"It [the game] has given me so much confidence and I won't be holding back come this week."
That sort of talk will be music to the ears of Highlanders supporters and coaching staff.
Slade (23) was seen as the key signing for the side, but he lasted less than half an hour in the first pre-season game in late January, breaking his jaw tackling Blues midfield back Luke McAlister.
That led to more than eight long weeks on the sideline.
"It was hugely frustrating because at the start the boys were playing really well and you wanted to be part of that. And then when they had a couple of losses you wanted to get out there and help them. You sort of felt helpless.
"But the great thing about this team is the team culture. Everyone is a part of it and helps out."
The first five-eighth was now back to eating normally.
His weight had not changed much. He said he had to keep eating as food helped the healing process.
Slade spent his time off in Dunedin and back home in Christchurch, where his St Albans home was damaged by the earthquake.
"It is pretty banged up - slipped off its level, sunk, really. That is the disappointing thing as the area was one of the first hit. If you go to my parents' house they suffered no damage and they're only 2-3km away."
Slade said he was a chance to play against his old team, the Crusaders, on March 19 at Carisbrook but decided against taking the field.
"It was all a bit rushed, really. I had not had the contact, didn't quite have the confidence so I opted out."
He was glad he made that decision as he felt much more confident now, and capped off his return in the pre-season game by scoring a try.
The coaches were not putting too much pressure on him for the match against the Brumbies in Invercargill on Friday night, he said.
"They have been fantastic, really, in that they have said they are not expecting miracles. They realise it is going to take a bit of time. But it is great to be back in business."
