Following a series of injuries and health issues, the Sea Eagles anticipate that back-rower Josh Schuster will be available for their first Pre-Season Challenge match against the Roosters on February 17.
The 22-year-old sustained a calf injury on January 29, keeping him out of action for the rest of the club’s training sessions that week, but he is anticipated to return to jogging in the second week in February.
The calf blow came after he broke his finger at a team camp in Canberra in early January and needed surgery to repair it, shortly after recovering from chickenpox the week before Christmas.
However, coach Anthony Seibold told the club’s website that he believes Schuster will be available for the forthcoming Pre-season Challenge matches and Round 1 of the Telstra Premiership.
“We expect him to play against the Roosters in our first official trial,” he stated.
“He will resume running next week, followed by a full week of training before facing the Roosters. I was very impressed with how far he had progressed before he got chicken pox.
“I feel like he will perform well and will be on the plane to (Las) Vegas with us (for round one).”
Shaun Johnson is scheduled to return to the Warriors’ main training group the week of February 5, with coach Andrew Webster saying the club intends to play him in their second Pre-Season Challenge match against the Dolphins.
According to Webster, his star No.7 is certain to compete in Round 1.
Parramatta are expected to welcome back skipper Clint Gutherson and representative prop Junior Paulo in the coming days after missing full training due to knee and toe injuries.
In a January 23 update, the club stated that after each undergoing surgery over the off-season, the pair is reaching full fitness, while Makahesi Makatoa (pec) and Daejarn Asi (finger) have now rejoined the main training group after finishing their respective recovery periods following surgery.
At the Dolphins, playmaker Anthony Milford’s hamstring injury may keep him out of the Pre-Season Challenge, with the veteran not likely to return until the second week of February.
Bulldogs forward Ryan Sutton suffered a knee treatment in late January, and his return date has yet to be announced.
Titans player David Fifita has returned to training after having surgery to repair a partial pectoral rupture in December, and he is increasing his running load in an effort to regain normal movement.
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, a Cowboys forward, might be out until the middle of the season after sustaining an achilles injury in November last year.
Also in North Queensland, fullback Tom Chester has resumed full training in preparation for the club’s Pre-Season Challenge fixtures in February.
Chester returns to normal exercise on January 15, fewer than nine months after rupturing his ACL in Round 9 last year.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Dragons recruit Corey Allan has been handed a terrible blow just a month before the start of the new season, with news that he ruptured his ACL during training on January 11.
The club stated that the 25-year-old backline utility will need a knee reconstruction, with a nine-month recuperation period, meaning he will miss the full 2024 season.
Connelly Lemuelu, a Dolphins backrower, has returned to the training pitch for the first time since suffering a knee injury while playing for Samoa in October.
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