Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Wests Tigers skipper Api Koroisau will avoid season-ending surgery on a pectoral injury in a significant boost for the joint-venture’s hopes of qualifying for the finals.
Koroisau will only miss a month of play after scans revealed what the Tigers described as a “low-grade strain of the muscle tendon junction” in his pectoral, which forced the veteran No.9 off midway through Saturday’s loss to the Dragons.
The Tigers are scrambling to stay in touch with the top eight after the shock defeat to St George Illawarra but have a favourable draw over the coming weeks. After hosting the second-placed Warriors at Campbelltown on Friday night, the Tigers face bottom-eight sides Canterbury (away), Canberra (away) and Parramatta (home) before a round 23 bye.
Koroisau is targeting the Eels game for a return, while playmaker Jarome Luai will be back from delayed concussion symptoms against the Warriors. Back-rower Samuela Fainu is pushing to get from a long-term foot injury this week as well.
Young hooker Josese Lanyon shapes as Koroisau’s replacement at dummy-half against the Warriors, with Jock Madden and Latu Fainu in line as bench utility options.
The Tigers have slumped to 12th on the ladder – four points adrift of the eighth-placed Rabbitohs – after a slew of big-name injuries and a 2-7 losing run since thumping Canberra in late-April.
More to come.
