NRL 2020: Kieran Foran returns Joe Stimson sidelined for Bulldogs
Untimely injury news has given Canterbury coach Dean Pay a headache as he plots the Bulldogs’ return to training ahead of the rebooted NRL season, but he has received some good news.
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The knock-on effect of the coronavirus is hitting hard for some, with Canterbury forward Joe Stimson forced to wait so long for elective surgery it has all but ended his season.
The former Melbourne Storm forward suffered a tear to his shoulder joint against the North Queensland Cowboys in round two back on March 19, right before the pandemic forced the suspension of the season.
Regularly, Stimson would have had surgery immediately to repair his shoulder but was forced to wait six weeks to go under the knife for a shoulder reconstruction.
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Bulldogs coach Dean Pay told The Daily Telegraph that the new recruit had to wait until April 28 to undergo the procedure after COVID-19 forced restrictions on elective surgeries across the country.
"Joe did his shoulder in the last game before the shutdown. His surgery couldn't be done because of the virus, so that is a pretty big setback for us. But there is nothing we can do about it and we just have to try and get past that one,” Pay said.
On Tuesday, Stimson had an anterior shoulder reconstruction and he is scheduled to go under the knife again in two weeks to complete the second stage of the surgery.
Stimson could be sidelined for up five to six months meaning the delay has all but cost him a chance of playing again in season 2020. The competition is to restart on May 28, when a further 18 rounds will be played followed by a four-week finals series which will culminate with the grand final on October 25. The best case scenario for Stimson is a five-month recovery and return to the field around finals time if the Bulldogs manage to earn a top eight berth.
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The untimely injury compounds coach Pay's selection headaches with the club already missing forward Corey Harawira-Naera, who along with winger Jayden Okunbor had their contracts deregistered earlier this year following a pre-season sex scandal.
Stimon's injury could see Dean Britt or Raymond Faitala-Mariner come into the starting side, opening a bench spot for the likes of Sione Katoa or Ofahiki Ogden.
While the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a hammer blow to Stimson’s season, it has emerged as a blessing in disguise for teammate Kieran Foran.
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Foran suffered a shoulder injury playing for New Zealand against Great Britain and had surgery in November last year.
The Kiwi international was eyeing a return in June, which would have seen him miss at least 12 rounds of season 2020.
But with the competition postponed since March 23 it gives Foran the best chance of returning to the field in June having only missed a handful of matches.
The playmaker remains on track to start non-contact skills work when teams return to full group training from next week.
Forward Chris Smith won't be in full training for another six weeks after he suffered an MCL injury during the All Stars match.
Fresh from working on a friend’s property while surviving on unpaid leave, Pay is now ready to fight for his own career.
Like many people through the coronavirus crisis, the past month has been a difficult period for Pay.
The off-contract Bulldogs mentor has navigated life with his wife and four children on no income following the coronavirus shutdown, and all at a time when his long-term future at Canterbury remains uncertain.
He was set to discuss the potential for a contract extension after the Bulldogs’ traditional Good Friday clash against South Sydney earlier this month, before the pandemic put those talks on hold indefinitely.
Pay could complain, but just like his uncompromising style as a player, he is determined to push on and guide his young Bulldogs to success and secure his future.
“The (virus) is what it is – you’ve just got to make the best of the situation that you are given,” Pay told The Daily Telegraph ahead of a return to training on Tuesday.
“All of our staff got put off without pay. We all accepted that, and it was what needed to be done.
“All our staff have been wonderful with how they have handled the situation. It has been tough, but I’ve got a mate who has a property and I go out there to do a bit of different stuff with him.
“Now I’m looking forward to starting training and playing.
“We’ve done a lot of hard work over the last couple of years to get ourselves in a position where some of our kids are getting more games under their belt and we want to continue that.
“The rest of the year is an opportunity to just keep getting better.”
The NRL’s shutdown has also placed Pay in uncharted territory when it comes to online communication as a coach.
“I’d never heard of Zoom before this (virus) happened,” he joked. “I don’t even know how to get it going. I’ve got a lady here who helps me with all that type of stuff.
“But it hasn’t been too bad, and all our players have been working hard at home – I’m sure they are itching to return to training.”
Pay is particularly excited about Foran potentially returning from a shoulder reconstruction this season and believes the playmaker’s matchwinning experience will give the Bulldogs a major boost.
“Out of a negative there is always a positive, and that is our positive,” he said.
“It is great news for Kieran. He is training well, jumping into his weights and running.
“He is in good condition. He will have to do some contact work, but it is all looking positive.
“I hope we will see him this season. If he handles the contact, I don’t see any reason why he won’t play this year.”
Pay is also proud of his players for adhering to the social distancing and isolation standards set out by the government and the NRL.
He stressed all players had a responsibility to behave to ensure the competition’s resumption on May 28.
“There are a lot of people out there hurting and it is not just what we do in rugby league,” he said.
“The main message from us to our players is that we are in a really privileged position.
“Peter V’landys and all of his people have done a wonderful job and the government people are making some really tough decisions to let us go back to work.
“There are a lot of people wanting us to go back to work, so we are privileged.”