League legend Billy Slater would have been surprised to see Jarome Luai rejoin the Panthers prior to the conclusion of the championship series.
Despite suffering a dislocated shoulder during his team’s shocking 32-18 loss to the Eels on Thursday night, Panthers No. 6 appeared to be ready to play in the preliminary final, according to scans taken early on Friday morning.
“After that, he must strengthen his shoulder sufficiently to support the damage that has occurred. So, the Grand Final is, what, five weeks away, if he can accomplish that in a short amount of time? That’s what makes him unpopular.
“He could allow himself some time to heal and get it strong enough to play if this happened six to eight weeks ago. However, I really doubt that he will return to the field this season.”
However, Slater claimed in an interview with Nine’s Sunday Footy Show that the Panthers’ medical staff’s ability to replace Luai’s shoulder while he was still in the sheds was a sign of more serious damage.
“I’d be surprised if he played again – you can come back and play with torn ligaments in your shoulder but for it to pop out and then go back in, in the sheds, there’s obviously going to be some sort of damage there,” he stated.
Jarome has to overcome his soreness as a priority. That alone will require several weeks.
“After that, he must strengthen his shoulder sufficiently to support the damage that has occurred. So, the Grand Final is, what, five weeks away, if he can accomplish that in a short amount of time? That’s what makes him unpopular.
“He could allow himself some time to heal and get it strong enough to play if this happened six to eight weeks ago. However, I really doubt that he will r
eturn to the field this season.”
After that, he must strengthen his shoulder sufficiently to support the damage that has occurred. So, the Grand Final is, what, five weeks away, if he can
