NRL pre-season news: Scans clear Tongan and Panthers star Paul Alamoti of serious injury
Tongan international Paul Alamoti has received positive news after sending a huge scare through the Panthers camp when forced from the field in Sunday’s Pacific Championship final.
NRL
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Penrith have received a huge pre-season boost after Tongan international Paul Alamoti was cleared of a serious elbow injury on Wednesday.
Alamoti sent a scare through the Panthers camp after dislocating his elbow while trying to tackle Kangaroos flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow during Sunday’s Pacific Championship final at CommBank Stadium.
The tackle left Panthers centre reeling in pain, forcing him from the field in early in the second half.
But scans have revealed that the premiership winner did not suffer any fractures to his elbow but has some swelling around the joint.
Brutal left elbow dislocation for Paul Alamoti - clear bony deformity after tackle.
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) November 10, 2024
Thankfully rare for these to require surgery - even if fracture present usual recovery time of 6-8 weeks so no concerns for 2025.
Alamoti fractured his right (other) forearm earlier this season. pic.twitter.com/DUs731jU1s
The positive prognosis means Alamoti won’t spend any time on the sidelines when he returns for pre-season training on January 6 – alongside fellow representative teammates Dylan Edwards, Lindsay Smith and Isaah Yeo.
Alamoti will now set off for Japan this week for a off-season holiday with his partner.
A fracture to the elbow would have left Alamoti, who recently signed a two-year extension until the end of 2027, facing up to eight weeks on the sidelines.
Hard nosed backrower Liam Martin will report for pre-season on December 12 after spending the off-season managing an AC joint injury, which ruled him out of the Kangaroos side, but did not require surgery.
Rising forward Liam Henry went under the knife after Penrith’s grand final win over Melbourne to repair a shoulder issue but isn’t expected to miss the club’s season opener in Las Vegas on March 1.
Superstar Nathan Cleary is also expected to get the green light for round one after he underwent a shoulder reconstruction on November 4. The champion halfback will resume light training duties from next month.
The first crop of Penrith players will start to trickle back to training from November 28, when coach Ivan Cleary will his first look at new prized recruit Blaize Talagi.
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