NRL Casualty Ward: Surgery for Knights recruit; Paps returning to USA

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English international Kai Pearce-Paul is set for surgery on a toe injury he has been managing for more than 12 months before moving to Newcastle.

Knights officials confirmed on Thursday that after reviews by their medical and performance team it was decided that surgery was the best course of action for the 22-year-old forward.

Pearce-Paul, who has joined the Knights from Wigan, is due to commence official training and club commitments on November 23 with an eye to being available for selection in the early rounds of the 2024 season.

Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen is heading back to the USA in December to work with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles as he continues his rehabilitation from an ankle injury.

Papenhuyzen spent time with Knowles in Philadelphia last January as he worked his way back from a fractured kneecap suffered late in the 2022 season against Canberra.

After a year out of the game he made it back to the NRL in Round 26 against the Titans before suffering a dislocated ankle in the Storm’s loss to Brisbane in week one of the finals.

Having described the decision to work with Knowles as “the best thing I’ve ever done for my career”, Papenhuyzen has decided to fund his own trip back to the USA in December as he aims to be back for Round 1 in March.

“Paps is going really well, his recovery has been solid,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said on Monday.

“He is heading back to see Bill Knowles and he is doing that of his own accord. It’s something he felt really passionate about.

“Both from a physical and mental point of view the work that Bill did with him on his kneecap certainly helped him get back this year.

“By all accounts he will be back running in January and everything going well he’s every chance to be back for Round 1.”

The Storm expect winger Xavier Coates to be back training at the start of December after he suffered an ankle injury in the same game that Papenhuyzen hurt his ankle.

Eels rookie Arthur Miller-Stephen has been ruled out of the 2024 season after suffering a serious knee injury.

The club confirmed on November 14 that the fullback, who made his NRL debut last season, has now undergone surgery on the injury and will miss the entire 2024 campaign.

The news is much better for star half Mitch Moses, who has returned to full training for the first time since suffering the fractured eye socket which cut his 2023 NRL season short.

Moses missed the club’s final two games after picking up the injury in the Round 24 clash with the Broncos.

Parramatta co-captain Clint Gutherson remains on track to be fit for Round 1 following surgery on a knee injury suffered in the last game of the season and is due to return to running prior to Christmas.

Prop Junior Paulo recently underwent surgery on a chronic toe injury and will return to training in January, along with half Daejarn Asi (finger) and forward Makahesi Makatoa (pectoral) who required surgery after being hurt while playing in the Pacific Championships.

Dolphins forward Connelly Lemuelu will have further checks conducted on his knee after picking up an injury while away with Toa Samoa for the Pacific Championships.

New Roosters recruit Dom Young was ruled out of England’s Test series against Tonga after a sinus infection spread throughout his head and forced him to be hospitalised.

Young is reported to be on the mend and is expected to make a full recovery in time for his new club’s 2024 season opener in Las Vegas.

Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai has had surgery on the shoulder he dislocated late in the season before bravely returning to play in the preliminary final and premiership decider.

In further NRL news the Dragons report that fullback Tyrell Sloan suffered an ankle injury playing in the Koori Knockout and will be in rehab until mid-December but won’t miss any games in 2024.

Fellow Dragons Jaydn Su’A and Jack Bird are both recovering from shoulder injuries but are on track to return to pre-season training and will be good to go by the time the trial games roll around in February.