South Sydney star centre Campbell Graham is set to miss half the NRL season after failing to recover from the sternum injury that dogged his 2023 season, the club confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
The 24-year-old played through the injury last year with the help of pain-killing needles and had hoped it would heal before Round 1 this season.
But Rabbitohs doctors have made the decision to cut their losses and book him in for surgery next week, meaning he is no chance of returning to play until at least the back half of the season.
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Graham missed the entire State of Origin series last year due to the injury, but was curiously still cleared to play for his club during the Origin period.
Separately, the two-Test Kangaroos star had also been recovering from shoulder surgery, which is said to be tracking well.
But between the two body complaints, he hadn’t been able to complete any full contact work, hoping his body would heal naturally in time.
It’s a second blow for Souths in the same day, with Tom Burgess confirming to the club he will leave at the end of 2024.
The England international will extend his rugby league career in the Super League on a three-year deal with Huddersfield Giants beyond this year.
But Burgess — who is on track to have played the second-most NRL games in Rabbitohs history — says he’s still fully committed to the Bunnies before he leaves.
“I’m happy to know that my future is sorted but my immediate focus is on winning another premiership with South Sydney,” Burgess said in a club statement released at 2.30am AEDT on Thursday morning.
“We have a huge eight months ahead of us as we work towards our combined goal of winning our club’s 22nd premiership.
“I’m excited about what’s ahead here at Souths, and in England after that, having the opportunity to take my young family back to the homeland, but I won’t be distracted from playing my role in my team throughout 2024. We’re aiming to finish 2024 on the right note for the team, the club and the members.”
The Rabbitohs’ early-morning statement coincided with Huddersfield’s announcement in the UK.
Burgess revealed he had been looking at returning to England “for a few years now”.
“One thing I am really excited about coming back to Huddersfield, it’s really close to where I grew up, where I went to school,” Burgess said.
“Bringing my young family back there, it’s going to be really cool to come back to where it all began with a great club like Huddersfield Giants.
“There is no mistake in what I want to do over in England, I want to come over there and win silverware. I’m not coming back to make up numbers or finish my career.”