Star Tiger racing clock to be fit for round one as Moses suffers fresh injury scare
Wests Tigers recruit Jarome Luai will definitely return from injury in time for round one, but one of his star teammates is no certainty to play.
While Luai revealed on Friday night he was “ready to rock” for the Tigers in a fortnight’s time when they start their latest campaign against Newcastle, fullback Jahream Bula was not as bullish about his return from a summer setback.
Bula underwent shoulder surgery in August and missed the final month of the 2024 regular season. He said on Friday he had only resumed full contact work at training last week.
Then he suffered a fresh knock from back-rower Samuela Fainu at training, and will need to undergo extra testing on his shoulder before being given the green light to pull on the No.1 jersey against the Knights on March 7.
“We’ll see about round one,” Bula said. “Everything went well with the surgery. I’ve been doing my rehab the past six months. I’m getting closer. I started full contact last week.
“‘Moose’ [Tigers head of performance Peter Moussa] has been good, he’s really strengthened it, and he doesn’t like to bring players back too early.
“I copped a knock last week; Samuela came flying in with his shoulders. He’s too strong.
“It was nothing serious – I didn’t need scans – but I’ll need to do another test next week before round one.”
Because of the lack of contact at training, Bula was never expected to feature in the Tigers’ two trials.
Heath Mason started at fullback in both trials and is a fullback option should Bula need an extra week or two to recover. Penrith recruit Sunia Turuva could also fill in at the back if needed.
Bula completes one of the most exciting spines in the NRL with Luai, five-eighth Lachie Galvin and dummy-half Api Koroisau.
As for what he had already learnt from four-time premiership winner Luai, Bula said: “He just makes my job easier; he directs me, tells me where to be, and gives me a lot of space out wide.”
Luai told Fox Sports at half-time during the 30-18 win over Parramatta he would make his club debut in round one.
“Put me in, coach; I can’t wait to get out there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Brent Naden was awaiting scans results on Saturday after hobbling from the field before half-time with a knee injury.
The off-contract outside back said after the game: “The quick diagnosis [from doctors] was my knee popped out but, hopefully, there’s no ligament [damage] and, hopefully, it’s only six to eight weeks.”
Naden refused to exit on a stretcher.
“My nan and pop were watching at home, and I’d probably never live it down if I was stretchered off – I’ve never been stretchered off, and I didn’t want to start on Friday night,” he said.
Three Tigers’ standouts against the Eels were ever-improving prop Fonua Pole, Adam Doueihi and Jeral Skelton, who will be unlucky if he does not start on the left wing in round one.
Moses injury scare as Eels sweat on Brown
Parramatta captain Mitchell Moses has had “every scan under the sun” on a foot injury that kept him out of the game for two months last year, but Eels coach Jason Ryles is confident his star half will be right to play in round one of the NRL season.
Ryles revealed the full extent of the Moses injury saga following the 30-18 trial loss to Wests Tigers on Friday night.
