Interesting comparison to failures of NFL running backs to get back to their best after an achilles re: the hill AJ has to climb.
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Yeah ok that reads pretty grim. 18 off breaking the record right? That could either be a stellar 2025 season or spread across 3 seasons at varying clubs if at all.
The years he wasted playing FB make me angry as it is let alone now!
It’s tough to say.
I don’t see him being at his best in 2025 (just going off the history of people returning from the injury).
But if everyone stays fit and the left is humming, he ‘could’ get lucky? Maybe? People always say anyone could sit out on that side and score tries. I hope that’s the case for AJ’s sake.
But 18 is a lot if you aren’t feeling physically right.
Hopefully there’s no weird muscle compensation that sees his hamstring issues flare up or similar.
Probably comes down to whether he can perform well enough to hold his place in the side. Do that and maybe he’ll be right.
As someone who loves the nfl, the running backs do rely on explosiveness in a different way to our wingers. The issue for AJ is he has always relied on his speed and at his age it’s a tough one to come back from.
Prowsey
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I’m not having a go at you to be clear…the whole “get lucky on the left side” grinds my gears.
And I’ve said it myself. But I’ve come to appreciate that AJ does his job so well, he makes it look easy.
Maybe I’m in a pessimistic frame of mind but I can’t see AJ coming back from this injury.
I’ve known (non elite) athletes who were never able to play again and I’ve got one mate who’s torn his Achilles twice and it took him 18 months to recover the first time.
**** of an injury, particularly for someone who relies on explosive starts.
bundyrabbit
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I've never read AJ as being explosive so I think the comparison is way off. He'll be back and I'd assume stronger as he'll need to build up ,which should make many of his detractors happy.
I don't think it will be most of next season.
It's likely he won't be able to stride out with great confidence until early in the season at the earliest, but shouldn't be 12 months
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Dunno about that. It might take him a fair while to actually regain form, but his actual return to play would be in the early Rounds of 2025.
Is that right? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Yeah, AJ’s issue will likely be form, or ability to do what he needs to, more than straight forward recovery. All things going to plan he should be right to go early season. Whether he can perform well enough to hold his spot is the greater concern with that injury historically.
The tension for the club and the fanbase will be whether we’re all happy to persevere with a guy that on the surface, looks off the pace.
Given his age, the calls that ‘he’s done, he won’t regain form, he’s past it’ will be thick and fast.
Re-injury can happen as well.
The club would be smart to have a plan B if possible. Which reduces pressure on AJ if anything.
The tension for the club and the fanbase will be whether we’re all happy to persevere with a guy that on the surface, looks off the pace.
Given his age, the calls that ‘he’s done, he won’t regain form, he’s past it’ will be thick and fast.
Re-injury can happen as well.
The club would be smart to have a plan B if possible. Which reduces pressure on AJ if anything.
Bruster
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I have only read a few things about recovery from achilles surgery to top line sport. Suggested 6 to 12 months and we do want to be cautious with AJs return. I am also looking at the length of time out our other players have had with their injuries. 4 weeks out turns into 6, 7 or 8 for our players this year. But I hope you are right and he returns 100% fitness early in the season.
Bruster
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With AJ it is the re-injury that concerns me. If he can be totally at 100%, fitness, strength and all, by round 16 next season then he would have plenty of time to regain his first grade spot, on the left or even the right.
bundyrabbit
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That's correct . Rehab for these types of injuries has come on leaps and bounds since when some of us fossils were playing. I also think regaining form as a winger shouldn't be the major issue. That will be other injuries like hamstrings and calves stress that could come with this during rehab. That's my take on it . Anyone can feel free to correct me on this as I'm only guessing after speaking with a mate who did his Achilles.
Drawing comparisons with the conjecture around AJ’s future Lewis Dodd suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury last season and a lot of people over in the Super League reckon it’s a factor in his apparent form slump and an explanation as to why he’s been dropped. He’s gone from being the gun halfback in the SL to reserve grade……of course there could be other factors at play like him leaving St H and moving to the NRL.
It actually happened April 2022.
He’s 2+ years post injury and people are inferring he’s still not back to pre-injury speed off the mark.
They’re nasty ones when it comes to people who were getting by on acceleration.
