Bulldogs star Kieran Foran’s career is in the balance after news today that his troublesome right shoulder may force him to sit out all of next season.
Three years after having the same shoulder reconstructed, Foran reinjured it in the very early stages of New Zealand’s win over Great Britain on Saturday.
Resigned to another reconstruction, NRL.com reports that exploratory shoulder also uncovered damage to the rotator cuff, which requires nine months recovery – at the very least – following cleanout surgery.
Given Foran’s injury history with that specific shoulder, however, he’ll likely need a full year before being cleared to play.
Foran has been available for just over half of the matches Canterbury have played since he joined on a three-year deal in 2018. His 2019 season was heavily impacted by hamstring and ankle problems.
He will be out of contract at the end of the season, with the Bulldogs already set to apply to the NRL for salary cap relief, given the injury was suffered in a representative game.
Initial scans following the game looked to be positive, with the 29-year-old cleared of a fracture and reconstruction only being mooted as a possibility.
Instead, the five-eighth will need the most comprehensive shoulder procedure of his career.
MORE TO COME
Rob
Guest
Have to feel sorry for Foran. Champion player when he was fit and seems like a great bloke off the field.
Jacko
Guest
Shaun Johnson at the Sharks?
Albo
Roar Rookie
The worst contract value ever, but totally predictable as Foran already had the history of being an injury crock ? The Club management needs another clean out for that decision.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
How dumb were the Bulldogs to sign him in the first place? Anyways not sure if any club will go near him now, after playing 52 games over the last 5 years.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Foran didn't need time to settle in to first grade, he was a champion from the word go and would be spoken about in the same breath as some of the great players of the last ten years without all the injuries.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I can recall Easts signing Brett Papworth from Rugby Union some years ago. He was extremely unlucky with injuries. Yet some players go through their career & hardly miss a game. Cameron Smith comes to mind.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Not even close. Foran is getting paid nearly double of what Watmough was being paid.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Jack Bird at the Broncs.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Choc Watmough and the eels would come close to that record.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
But now so glad he did. It was inevitable the way he played that his body would breakdown sooner rather than later. Compare that to the way cameron smith plays and you can see why he has over 400 games and very few injuries over a long time.
Joe
Roar Rookie
He'd be competing with Ash Taylor at the Titans.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Would the $3 million ($4.8 million?) aaaqthe Bulldogs paid for Foran be the worst value any NRL club has ever got out of a contract? (Not being critical of Foran, he can’t help getting injured).
Albo
Roar Rookie
Poor bugger can't take a trick. He best take up the Luge !
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
I feel sorry for him, and disappointed he missed so many games , but I hope common sense comes into play and his salary comes out of the Dogs' salary cap, because they have got bugger all value from him with all the injuries.
Nat
Roar Guru
"Luckless" is right. He did show glimpses of his dogged tenacity when he pulled on the Blue and White. All the best to him, surely this is it though.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Should never have left Manly
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
It may be time for Kieran to consider hanging up the boots before he can't use his shoulder at all.