Pilot Medical Update – April 20
Sharks front rower Braden Hamlin-Uele has today undergone surgery on a ruptured pectoral muscle and will be sidelined for an extended period.
The injury occurred during the second half of the Sharks match against the Storm, with a predicted recovery time of around 3-4 months. The injury is a blow to both the Sharks and to Hamlin-Uele who was in some of the most consistent form of his career.
In further injury updates, courtesy of Men’s on-line health provider and Sharks corporate partner Pilot, stand-in skipper Dale Finucane and Club Captain Wade Graham will both be missing from the team to take on the Sea Eagles at PointsBet Stadium on Thursday night.
Finucane failed a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) following a knock suffered in the game last Saturday, and while he is reporting no further symptoms, due to the NRL concussion protocols and with the short five-day turnaround between matches, time will run out on a potential return this week.
He will undergo the necessary testing procedures and it is hoped he will be available for the Sharks next match in Brisbane on Thursday week.
As for Graham, his ankle injury suffered in the Sharks final trial match was forecast to see him miss around eight weeks and now ramping up his training load he will also come into calculations for a return to the field in the coming weeks.
Connor Tracey continues his rehabilitation from his groin issues, while the news on Sione Katoa is positive, with the Sharks try-scoring winger named to face Manly on Thursday night. Katoa was a late withdrawal from the Storm game with knee soreness.
Matt Ikuvalu (ankle, named to play for Newtown) and Briton Nikora (Covid) are both available to play this week. Nikora has been selected in the Sharks NRL side, with Ikuvalu named to play for the Newtown Jets on Saturday.
The Sharks medical update is brought to you by Pilot, Australia’s biggest men’s healthcare startup.
Since its launch in February 2019, Pilot’s end-to-end telehealth platform has been used by over 100,000 Australian men as they set out to improve access to healthcare for men by making it simple and online and reducing stigmas around health issues such as erectile dysfunction, weight loss, sexual health, mental health and more.
Go to https://pilot.com.au/ to find out more.
