The Panthers are “optimistic” that Jarome Luai will be fit to play in round 1, but the star five-eighth still has a few boxes to tick as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery.
Luai is expected to be on the plane to England for the World Club Challenge, but his status for that game remains unlikely with the club unwilling to take a risk given the dramas his shoulder caused late in 2023.
There is better news for halves partner Nathan Cleary, who is in no doubt for the season opener against the Storm after he missed the Pacific Championships Tests due to a knee injury he suffered on grand final night.
Next week’s first major team list Tuesday of the year will provide an insight into how some players are tracking a month out from the start of the new NRL season, with injuries and suspensions going to be a major talking point for most clubs.
The NRL confirmed last month that Rabbitohs recruit Jack Wighton would have next week’s All Stars match count towards his ban, which means he will still miss the historic game in Las Vegas but will be available to make his club debut in round 3.
Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will miss the season opener due to suspension, as will Raiders pair Seb Kris and Corey Horsburgh, with Kris to return in round 2 after some of his ban was served during the Pacific Championships.
NRL fans across the country have their fingers and toes crossed for Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who has fought back from a couple of serious leg injuries and intends to play in at least one of the trials.
“I’ve been back in training and really turned the corner after I got back from the States this time,” he said last week.
“I feel like I’m ready to go. I’ll probably get a trial game in and round 1 is looking good at this stage.”
Manly’s Josh Schuster sent a scare through training last week when he went down with a calf complaint, but coach Anthony Seibold is confident Schuster will be OK for round 1 and also feature in the trials after a frustrating few weeks during which he has contracted chickenpox and then broken a finger.
“I hope to see ‘Schuey’ play against the Roosters and I’d like to see all our guys competing for spots to play in the first two trials which they’ll all have the chance to do,” Seibold said last week.
“I feel like he’ll perform well and be on the plane to Vegas with us. We know we’re a better side when he’s in and around it.”
At the Sharks, Dale Finucane is in no doubt for the season opener after he was limited to just 13 matches in 2023 due to suspension and a serious biceps injury that prematurely ended his campaign.
“I feel really good, the bicep is back to where it was, so it’s feeling 100 per cent. Just excited to get to the games,” he told Sharks Media in January.
A number of the game’s best halfbacks suffered setbacks in the pre-season, but Shaun Johnson and Adam Reynolds are in no doubt for round 1.
Johnson was wearing a moon boot after he suffered a moderate ankle sprain at training in January, but the club confirmed he was in “no doubt” for the game against the Sharks.
Eels skipper Clint Gutherson is touch-and-go for the trials after he required knee surgery following an injury in their final game of the season.
The club remains hopeful he’ll be right to face the Bulldogs in round 1, with the tireless fullback set to ramp up his training in the coming weeks.
While guys like Adam Doueihi (knee), Matt Lodge (knee), Ryan Sutton (knee), Karl Oloapu (neck) and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (Achilles) face indefinite stints on the sidelines, Dragons recruit Corey Allan will miss the entire 2024 season after suffering a heartbreaking ACL tear at training.
“This is terrible news both for Corey and the club,” Shane Flanagan said.
“He had settled in well since joining the club in December and was set to push for a club debut in the backline early in the season.”
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