NRL Casualty Ward: Oloapu weighs surgery options; Pearce-Paul goes under knife

Report> Manly player might miss the entire 2024 season due to…

Teenage Bulldogs playmaker Karl Oloapu is yet to decide whether to undergo surgery for a neck injury that has placed his immediate playing future in doubt.

Oloapu made his NRL debut for Canterbury last season but there is uncertainty about when the 18-year-old will play his next game after being told he requires surgery for a bulging disc.

However, Bulldogs GM of football Phil Gould said Oloapu was exploring all options before deciding whether to undergo surgery.

“Karl is still weighing up his options regarding a surgical or non-surgical approach to his injury,” Gould said on social media.

“His training activities are very restricted at present, to limit any movement of his neck. He is not permitted to be anywhere near any potential for physical contact. He’s only 18. His long term welfare is our only priority at this time.”

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.

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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.

Meanwhile, 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.

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. Prop Junior Paulo recently underwent surgery on a chronic toe injury, along with half Daejarn Asi (finger) and forward Makahesi Makatoa (pectoral) who required surgery after being hurt while playing in the Pacific Championships. All will be restricted to light duties until post-Christmas.

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.

To view the complete NRL Casualty Ward, please visit the hub page.

Your club’s NRL Casualty Ward
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Chemist Warehouse Casualty Ward
Brisbane Broncos
Xavier Willison (ankle, season)
Canberra Raiders
Corey Horsburgh (suspended, season)
Corey Harawira-Naera (seizure/medical, indefinite)
Josh Papalii (biceps, pre-season)
Seb Kris (suspended, season)
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Jacob Preston (shoulder, pre-season)
Raymond Faitala-Mariner (hamstring, pre-season)
Karl Oloapu (neck, indefinite)
Cronulla Sharks
Kade Dykes (knee, pre-season)
Dolphins
Tom Gilbert (shoulder, pre-season)
Connelly Lemuelu (knee, TBC)
Harrison Graham (groin, season)
Robert Jennings (knee, season)
Ray Stone (toe, season)
Edrick Lee (ankle, season)
Jeremy Marshall-King (shoulder, season)
Gold Coast Titans
Jojo Fifita (ankle, season)
Chris Randall (shoulder, season)
Isaac Liu (finger, season)
Jayden Campbell (knee, season)
Phil Sami (foot, season)
Sam Verrills (shoulder, season)
Tanah Boyd (shoulder, season)
Erin Clark (shoulder, season)
Beau Fermor (knee, season)
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Ben Trbojevic (head knock, season)
Christian Tuipulotu (knee, season)
Cooper Johns (biceps, season)
Taniela Paseka (knee, season)
Josh Aloiai (shoulder, season)
Tom Trbojevic (pectoral, season)
Matt Lodge (knee, season)
Karl Lawton (shoulder, season)
Reuben Garrick (back, season)
Melbourne Storm
Ryan Papenhuyzen (ankle, Round 1)
Xavier Coates (ankle, pre-season)
Justin Olam (knee, season)
George Jennings (knee, season)
Alec MacDonald (hamstring, season)
Newcastle Knights
Kai Pearce-Paul (toe, pre-seson training)
Phoenix Crossland (knee, season)
Daniel Saifiti (hamstring, season)
Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder, season)
Jackson Hastings (ankle, season)
Krystian Mapapalangi (shoulder, season)
Bailey Hodgson (shoulder, season)
Jayden Brailey (knee, season)
North Queensland Cowboys
Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder, season)
Semi Valemei (knee, season)
Valentine Holmes (suspended, season)
Tom Chester (knee, season)
Parramatta Eels
Arthur Miller-Stephen (knee, 2025)
Makahesi Makatoa (pectoral, pre-season)
Clint Gutherson (knee, pre-season)
Zac Cini (hand, pre-season)
Matt Doorey (ankle, pre-season)
Junior Paulo (toe, pre-season)
Daejarn Asi (finger, pre-season)
Mitchell Moses (eye socket, pre-season)
Penrith Panthers
Sunia Turuva (calf, TBC)
Jarome Luai (shoulder, season)
Nathan Cleary (finger, season)
Taylan May (knee, season)
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cameron Murray (tendonitis, TBC)
Thomas Burgess (suspension, season)
Latrell Mitchell (suspension, season)
St George Illawarra Dragons
Tyrell Sloan (ankle, mid-December)
Jaydn Su’A (shoulder, pre-season trials)
Jack Bird (shoulder, pre-season trials)
Sione Finau (ankle, season)
Cody Ramsey (illness, indefinite)
Talatau Amone (stood down, indefinite)
Sydney Roosters
Joseph-Aukuso Suaali’i (concussion, season)
Connor Watson (knee, season)
Sitili Tupouniua (neck, season)
Billy Smith (jaw, season)
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (suspended, season)
Warriors
Luke Metcalf (hamstring, pre-season)
Demitric Sifakula (knee, mid-2024)
Wests Tigers
Adam Doueihi (knee, next season)