The Manly Sea Eagles will claim Lloyd Perrett returned to pre-season training out of shape, and without a water bottle as the former forward takes legal action against the club.
Perrett launched legal action against the Northern Beaches-based club last August after a 2017 training session in hot conditions which he alleges he never recovered from, and ruined his career.
It's alleged that Manly players were forced to run three two-kilometre time trials in hot conditions during a November training session at the start of the 2017 pre-season, which Perrett claims caused exertional heat stroke, heat stress-induced seizure and psychiatric injury.
Perrett claims he was left in a comatose state for two days after the incident, and was left with disabilities are collapsing during the third time trial.
The ex-NRL forward, who played for the Junior Kangaroos early in his rugby league journey, made attempts to return to the NRL, but was never the same player, and is now taking legal action against Manly to the tune of $5 million for lost wages and damages.
Manly, in filings obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald are set to claim Perrett returned to pre-season in 2017 out of shape and without a water bottle, and that he never communicated his fitness levels with staff.
In essence, Manly will claim contributory negligence on the part of Perrett, while also suggesting the statute of limitations for a case such as this has expired, given the event occurred eight years ago.
Perrett, who also played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, finished his career with 56 NRL games to his name.
