The possibility for the NRL to introduce a formal loans system between the teams is gathering steam, as one of two test cases this season has publicly endorsed the process.
Melbourne Storm centre Paul Momirovski is on loan this season from Wests Tigers as part of a pre-season swap, with the Tigers getting hooker Harry Grant in return.
Where Grant has flourished as the first-choice hooker at the Tigers, Momirovski has had to earn his place in the Storm team this year before suffering a tendon injury in his finger that saw him miss eight weeks.
Paul Momirovski may have played his last game for the Storm with the promising centre undergoing surgery tonight ๐
Full casualty ward ๐ค๐https://t.co/lCExazcXAR pic.twitter.com/DGVnFvbXoI
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 27, 2020
Despite this, the 24-year old has expressed his support for the league to set up a formal loan process, telling the Sunday Morning Herald that players had a choice where they could go.
โThe thing with the loan is the players get the choice because we have contracts, you are not just a pawn in a chess game getting moved around,โ he said.
โYou just have to look at what Harry has done this year... he has had the opportunity to play games, I had the opportunity to play earlier in the year. We are both in situations that highly benefited us this year.
โI definitely would recommend it as long as players arenโt being pressured by the club and itโs good for you. There is no reason why this canโt be a part of the NRL going forward.โ
Momirovski has played in just five matches for the Storm this year, but has scored three tries and has been unbeaten in the purple this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDHScplR5Bk
If it wasnโt for his injury, he couldโve very well been a regular feature in this side, but he worked his way back to fitness reasonably quickly.
โYou donโt want to be missing that much time for a finger but weighing up all the medical information, it was the best thing to go and get my finger done,โ he said.
โItโs the tendon that allows you to bend your finger so if I didnโt get it repaired it becomes unrepairable after three or four weeks.
โIt allowed me to progress my rehab quickly because I could run and keep other aspects of my body fit.โ
Momriovski is expected to return to the Storm team this weekend to tackle St. George Illawarra.
He hopes that he could play a role in their quest for a premiership before he heads back to Wests.
