2024 Dolphins recruit Jake Averillo has been cleared of any serious injury after initial thoughts believed that he had injured his ACL.
Instead, Averillo has only sustained a PCL injury, which will likely only see him miss eight to ten weeks. This means he will be ready to go when the new pre-season arrives later this year.
Dolphins CEO Terry Reader has confirmed that he will be fit for the pre-season as The Dolphins look to improve on their inaugural season, which saw them lack consistency in the middle to end of their season.
"Jake got the results of his scans through last night and it is a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) injury and he will be ready to go for the start of pre-season," Reader told AAP.
"We spoke to the Bulldogs straight away on the day and the good news came later about Jake's scans.
"I was watching my young fella playing touch on Sunday and when I got in my car I had 10 messages from mates saying, 'Jake has done his ACL'.
"Fortunately we had spoken to the Bulldogs staff straight after the game and they were confident it would be nothing major. That has now been confirmed."
Jake Averillo off with a left knee injury - good news is “ACL feels pretty good” in hands on testing by the Bulldogs medical staff. Thankfully mechanism appears more knee into ground than non-contact foot plant, concern for PCL sprain/patella issue but unlikely a lengthy recovery pic.twitter.com/MYAa4gvAVV
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) September 3, 2023
Averillo, who played in his final game as a Bulldog on Sunday afternoon against the Gold Coast Titans, was taken from the field in the final ten minutes of the walk, hobbling from the field of play with club trainers and medical staff.
Immediate fears were expressed by club medical personnel over a possible ACL injury, although that was later softened to a potential PCL injury.
The utility back signed with the Dolphins earlier this year after the Bulldogs signed Stephen Crichton and Bronson Xerri for next season, essentially pushing him out of the team. The club also didn't want to match the salary that The Dolphins signed him on for.
While he will be a part of The Dolphins roster next season, it is unknown the role that he will play. Fellow recruit Herbie Farnworth is expected to take the number one jersey, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jaymayne Isaako and Euan Aitken are essentially locked in the team.
This leaves one spot free, which will be competed for by Averillo and the likes of Edrick Lee, Robert Jennings, Tesi Niu, and cult hero Valynce Te Whare.
Well, at least the Phins will have plenty of depth in the backs next season.
ValTW has the build for second row, even if he doesn’t have the energy and endurance yet.