Sharks medical and training staff have updated the status on James Segeyaro, with a potential date now set for his return to the field.
The Sharks hooker broke his right arm in the round six game against the Storm, bravely playing out the final 20 minutes of the match after suffering the injury with his first involvement on the field.
Segeyaro required surgery to repair an arm which had suffered a similar injury previously.
While Segeyaro was hopeful of a speedy recovery and quick return, hence his status being ‘yet to be determined’ in weekly injury updates, the specialist advice can now predict a round 19 comeback following the Sharks second bye.
That might be interpreted as bad news, with fans looking for the energetic hooker to be back on deck sooner rather than later, however the good news is that Segeyaro will be fit, fresh and raring to go for the Sharks run into the finals.
Training staff have been impressed with his fitness levels and commitment to training, with Segeyaro to be a huge bonus to the Sharks in the big games ahead.
In other injury updates, the news on Tony Williams isn’t so positive, with the big back rower undergoing surgery for a ruptured ACL in his left knee, an injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the 2017 season.
Williams played one game in the NRL for the Sharks, in the win over the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, before suffering the injury representing Tonga against Fiji in the Pacific Test match the following weekend.
As for others in the Sharks fulltime squad, young prop Malakai Houma, who broke his leg playing for the Newtown Jets early in the season will be back sometime late in 2017 and will add to the teams forward depth once he becomes available.
Sharks centre Jordan Drew, who has a minor knee problem, wasn’t named for Newtown this week and is likely to miss the Jets game on Saturday.
There are no other injury concerns amongst the 21-man Sharks team named to play the Bulldogs, with coach Shane Flanagan needing to trim four from his squad before the game on Saturday night.
