Kieran Foran to miss 12 months with two shoulder surgeries
A devastated Kieran Foran is laid up in hospital planning another injury comeback as the Canterbury Bulldogs gear up for a fight with the NRL over salary cap relief.
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This is the heartbreaking image of Kieran Foran as he faces yet another agonising comeback to the rugby league field.
While the NRL stands accused of salary cap double standards by refusing the Canterbury Bulldogs the option to fully replace million-dollar playmaker in their 2020 salary cap, the man himself still somehow remains positive that, at age 29, he will play again.
That’s despite a shattered Foran being ruled out for 12 months, requiring two shoulder operations, after being injured trying to tackle England’s James Graham earlier this month.
“I’ll start the rehab process as soon as I can,” he told The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday night. “Who knows I might even get back for a few games at the end of next year.
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“I’m not ready to finish up. I know my body has been busted but I know I’ve still got some good footy in me.”
Despite being on a $1 million contract, the Bulldogs can spend only $350,000 under NRL rules to replace him.
At the same time South Sydney, the Brisbane Broncos and Wests Tigers have been granted permission to spend their full salary caps despite having to pay out millions to Sam Burgess, Matt Gillett and Ben Matulino in medical retirements.
Canterbury chief executive Andrew Hill will take up the fight with the NRL.
“The priority for us is Kieran’s welfare,” Hill said, “but I find it very difficult to accept that he left our club in a very healthy state for a Test match and comes back unable to play, possibly for 12 months.
“We will be talking to the NRL about getting the best and fairest salary cap outcome.
“We owe it to our fans. It’s not fair this has to be worn by the club.
“There’s always a risk of players getting hurt and we understand and accept that. However this happened in Test football and that’s why we need to look at compensation properly.”
As the rule stands there is a $350,000 limit on salary cap reimbursement for players injured in representative football. This is dreadfully unfair on the Bulldogs.
Once there is a more definite prognosis after Foran’s second round of surgery, Hill will talk to Dean Pay about halves options. At the moment, recently re-signed Lachlan Lewis and Jack Cogger are favoured to start the 2020 season.
There are also insurance issues and the liability of the New Zealand Rugby League to consider with Foran.
For Foran, the injury could not have occurred at a worse time.
The 29-year-old playmaker is off contract next year and was planning to use 2020 as a leverage to prove he deserves another big-money three-year deal.
The best he can now hope for is a deal around the $300,000 mark at a club that is prepared to take a risk with a player who, by the end of next season, would have missed more than 70 games in six years.
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“It’s frustrating in that I worked so hard to make the New Zealand side and I was in my best shape for years,” Foran said.
He says he wants to play until he is at least 32 and the money is not the issue.
“I play for my love of the game and the passion I have for it,” he said.
“I’d play the game for free. Seriously, I would. It’s about achieving what I set out to do in rugby league and I haven’t done that yet.”
KIERAN FORAN’S INJURY HELL
Debut: 21 June 2009
Injuries/missed games:
May 2010 - hamstring (missed 2 games)
September 2010 - shoulder (missed Kiwis’ Four Nations campaign)
March 2012 - hamstring (missed 5 games)
May 2012 - ankle (missed 1 game)
July 2013 - stomach bug (missed 1 game)
March 2014 - calf (missed 1 game)
April 2014 - knee (missed 3 games)
March 2015 - hamstring (missed 2 games)
April 2015 - hamstring (missed 1 game)
May 2015 - hamstring (missed 2 games)
March 2016 - hamstring (missed 1 game)
April 2016 - personal reasons (missed 2 games)
June, 2016 - shoulder surgery (missed 10 games)
March 2017 - hamstring (missed 2 games)
June 2017 - shoulder (missed 2 games)
August 2017 - back (missed 1 game)
September 2017 - back (missed 1 game)
June 2018 - toe surgery (missed 12 games)
April 2019 - syndesmosis surgery (missed 5 games)
November 2019 - shoulder surgery (expected to miss 9-12 months)