NRL 2024: Tom Flegler injury to rule Dolphin out of remainder of 2024 season

Dolphins prop Tom Flegler has revealed how bad the damage to his nerve was following a shoulder injury in round five – but the 25-year-old is confident he will be fit for next season, even if it means changing his playing style.

Tom Flegler leaves the field after injuring his shoulder in round five. Picture: NRL Imagery

Dolphins star Tom Flegler concedes he may need to change his playing style but has ruled out premature retirement, insisting he will return next year from the shoulder injury that has threatened his career.

Flegler was again ruled out of Sunday’s blockbuster against Penrith and his 2024 campaign is officially over in a crushing blow for the Dolphins’ finals hopes.

The Dolphins’ $3 million marquee recruit hasn’t played since damaging a nerve in his shoulder in round five against the Wests Tigers, prompting fears that his recovery wasn’t progressing as well as hoped.

However, Flegler has told that he has no plans to retire and will be back next year, even if it means he is less than fully fit.

“In round five, how it all happened, I went to make a tackle off the kick-off and speared at this bloke and I went to put a hit on,” Flegler told English Test legend James Graham on The Bye Round podcast.

Tom Flegler leaves the field after injuring his shoulder in round five. Picture: NRL Imagery

“I tackled him around the hip and his hip hit my shoulder. I have had shoulder injuries before so few thought I just had a stinger and I was trying to shake it out.

“It was like it was almost numb.

“I walked off the field and I couldn’t feel my shoulder. It turns out I have nerve damage in my shoulder – I have stretched my auxiliary nerve which feeds your deltoid.

“There is a lot of unknown with nerves. They heal by themselves. I have been trying a few different things at the moment but I won’t play again this year.

“That came out in the media about a month ago. I am nursing it a bit. It will take time but we are confident we can be back playing by the beginning of next year.”

Flegler, who turns 25 next month, had minor exploratory surgery recently which showed his damaged nerve is not completely dead, giving the Dolphins hope of a return in 2025.

Flegler, who signed a four-year deal with the Dolphins, conceded there was still some unknown around his future, although the one certainty is that he will play again.

When fit, Flegler is one of the top props in the NRL.

“There is still a bit of unknown there which is hard to get your head around,” Flegler said.

“I will definitely not be retiring. I will definitely be returning to the field. No matter what I will be playing again.

“I have full range of movement, I can do everything, you are just weak in some positions. I still train when the Cup boys do opposed (sessions).

“I don’t do 100 per cent contact. I wear a gold bib. I am doing 70 per cent contact. The risk is that one you have to learn to play with it.

“Once you do a pre-season of full contact … you get used to it. The risk now would be further nerve damage. We’re thinking post-footy at the moment.

“Your muscle deteriorates when it is not working. All the muscles around it are compensating at the moment so it is going good.

“But further injury and being so early on in my career is pretty much … that is the reason we are holding off. It is not common but if you speak to people who have had this injury, there are people who have come back from it.”

Click here for the full Flegler interview on The Bye Round with James Graham

Flegler’s career saved, but his season is over

The Dolphins’ finals hopes have suffered another crushing blow with Wayne Bennett resigned to his star $3 million enforcer Tom Flegler not returning again this season.

But fears Flegler’s entire career could be over have eased after recent surgery showed a damaged nerve in the prop’s injured shoulder is not completely dead.

The Dolphins go into Sunday’s away blockbuster against premiers Penrith undermanned with key trio Jeremy Marshall-King, Euan Aitken and Tom Gilbert injured and Kurt Donoghoe suspended.

The Dolphins hadn’t given up hope their No.1 enforcer Flegler could return for the playoffs – if they get that far – but the Maroons hardman will need a miracle to play this year.

Flegler was trumpeted as the Dolphins’ marquee recruit but the former Broncos grand final prop has played just four games in a disastrous maiden year at Redcliffe.

Flegler leaves the field after injuring his shoulder in round five. Picture: NRL Imagery

Injuries are threatening to torpedo their historic finals push.

The Dolphins take on Penrith clinging to sixth spot and Bennett must conjure one of the greatest coaching acts of his career to deliver a playoffs berth without Flegler.

“Tom would be very, very doubtful to play again this year,” said Dolphins high-performance boss Jeremy Hickmans.

“He has had a clean up of the nerve for want of a better phrase.

“The surgeon went in and checked to see if the nerve wasn’t too damaged. According to the surgeon, the actual nerve itself looks good – there’s no major damage to the nerve.

“This gives us a positive that the nerve isn’t broken basically.

“It’s a silver lining, it’s as good as it can be at this point.”

Flegler injured his shoulder in a tackle against Wests Tigers in round 5 and the incident seemed so innocuous the Dolphins expected him to play against the Broncos the following week.

But the 24-year has yet to return to the field and his absence from the NRL now spans 106 days.

Bennett last month revealed there was a chance Flegler could be forced into premature retirement, but the recent surgery has provided a glimmer of hope.

Nerve transfer surgery may still be required, but the best-case scenario would see Flegler cleared for the Dolphins’ 2025 premiership kick-off next March.

“The worst-case scenario is he won’t play again,” Hickmans said.

“That’s a remote possibility so we can’t beat about the bush, but the hope is that ‘Fleg’ should be OK.

“They’ve had a look at the nerve and found it’s not completely damaged, so it gives Tom a ray of hope.

“It’s a positive outcome on a shitty situation basically.

“The frustrating thing is he is running fine. He is in the gym benching 130-140kg, so in all these global movements, he is looking good, but he is vulnerable in contact which is very important when you are a rugby league player.

“The next stage is potentially full nerve surgery.

“That would require a fair recovery but hopefully we can avoid that and if the nerve comes good with rest, we’re hoping Tom will be OK to play next season.

“This injury is very new, it’s not what any of us have dealt with before, so we’re learning on the run and learning to be patient with it.”