Again the Sharks have come through round two of the Telstra Premiership in relatively good shape as far as injuries are concerned, with skipper Paul Gallen still the only player from the NRL squad set to be missing for an extended period of time.
Gallen rushed from the launch of the Sharks Make Bullying History Initiative on Tuesday to attend an appointment with a knee specialist, with the reports being positive as to his potential return.
After surgery was needed for a cartilage cleanout and for repair to his meniscus, Gallen was looking towards four to five weeks out of the game, with his specialist virtually confirming that prognosis at their meeting earlier this week.
As mentioned by Coach Shane Flanagan however at a press conference last Friday, Gallen will leave no stone unturned in regards to his rehabilitation and an earlier return to the playing arena is certainly not out of the question.
In other Sharks injury news, hooker/utility Matt McIlwrick received an accidental poke in the eye in the Jets Intrust Super Premiership match against the Newcastle Knights.
With some bleeding behind the eye and due to the sensitive nature of the injury, McIlwrick was kept out of the Jets team to travel to Auckland to take on the Warriors this weekend.
And McIlwrick’s Sharks and Newtown teammate Kurt Capewell also succumbed to injury in the Jets win over the Knights, limping from the field with a knee problem in the 37th minute of the match.
While fears were held as to the extent of the injury, Capewell received good news following scans conducted at Southern Radiology where it was revealed the former Ipswich Jet to have suffered only minor damage.
Like McIlwrick, Capewell will miss the New Zealand trip but is expected to be available the following weekend.
The Sharks NRL squad reported no major injury concerns from the Sunday afternoon local derby match against the Dragons.
