Doctor John Trantalis reveals how he never thought Billy Slater would play rugby league again

MEET the surgeon took one look at Melbourne star Billy Slater’s shoulder X-rays and wasn’t sure he’d ever play again.

Dr John Trantalis at Kareena Private Hospital in Caringbah. Picture: Jonathan Ng

THE surgeon took one look at Billy Slater’s X-rays and wasn’t sure he’d ever play again.

Dr John Trantalis is one of Australia’s leading shoulder specialists and has seen some shocking injuries in his medical career.

“I hadn’t seen a worse case in a footballer,” Dr Trantalis told The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s usually a major trauma to rip off the tendon like Billy did. Like a really bad car accident.

“I was optimistic I could get his shoulder better but I was concerned it may be career ending.

“He was in a bad way and couldn’t even hold his arm up.”

So this is the man who miraculously saved Slater’s rugby league career and gave us at least one more season to enjoy his spectacular attacking skills.

Dr John Trantalis saved Billy Slater’s career.

He performed keyhole surgery with fibre wire and four plastic screws as anchors in a delicate two-hour operation.

The doctor clearly remembers the phone call on a Saturday morning in March last year that set up one of rugby league’s most remarkable comeback stories.

“I was actually at the beach at the time with my daughter,” Dr Trantalis said.

“Tony Ayoub (leading physio) called and said he had a VIP who needed to be seen urgently.

“So we arranged to meet in my surgery that day and in walked Billy Slater.

“I’m a rugby league fanatic and Billy’s the best fullback I’ve ever seen.

Slater could barely lift his arm due to shoulder injuries.

“It was a severe injury, even for a footballer. So we did surgery a couple of days later.”

The rest, according to the doctor, was all about Slater’s incredible determination in his rehab.

Hour after hour. Week after week. Never, ever giving up.

“He is the best rehab patient I’ve ever had,” Dr Trantalis said.

“The commitment he showed. Wow. The motivation. Fantastic.

“He only came back because of his desire. Anything I suggested he’d do three or four times more than I said. He was so committed it was more a case of holding him back a bit.

“His physio (Meirion Jones) was very motivated as well. He was doing rehab six or seven times a day.

“It was his dedication to the game and his incredible desire to play for Melbourne Storm again.”

Remarkably, it was in this same week last year that Slater flew to Sydney to visit his specialist.

The Storm had made the grand final against the Cronulla Sharks.

Slater feared he would never play again.

And Billy wanted to play less than six months after the surgery.

“He was nowhere near ready,” Dr Trantalis said. “It was hard for him but I had to say no.

“The muscle strength wasn’t there and the risk of injury again was too high.”

Eventually he returned in round three this year, a Thursday night against the Broncos.

The rest is history.

Controversially overlooked for the opening State of Origin game, he returned in games two and three and helped the Maroons win another series.

And his form for the Storm has been up there with the best years of his career.

He is the big difference between the side that lost to the Sharks to the one that will start raging hot favourites against the Cowboys.

Dr Trantalis hasn’t missed a Melbourne Storm game all year.

“Oh my God, every tackle I get nervous,” he said. “I watch every game just to make sure he’s OK.”

Slater has enjoyed a brilliant return to form.

Slater could not be more grateful. To the doctor and his great mate Tony Ayoub.

“I’ve known Tony through my involvement in the Australian side and with his time down here at the Storm,” Slater said.

“Tony assisted me to get on the field after injuring my knee in the 2013 World Cup.

“He worked around the clock, going above and beyond his duties to give me a chance to play in the final, which is one of the most memorable moments in my career.

“Although Tony wasn’t the physio at the Melbourne Storm any more, I valued his opinion and contacted him for some guidance regarding my troublesome shoulder last year.

“As a dear friend of mine, I appreciate everything Tony has done for me.

“Also, I couldn’t have done this without the club’s medical staff — Meirion Jones, Andrew Nawrocki, Dr Jason Chan, Dan Di Pasqua, Lachlan Penfold and the rest of the high-performance team.

“It has been a real team effort.”

Originally published as Doctor John Trantalis reveals how he never thought Billy Slater would play rugby league again