Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
tiger05premier
Well-known member
It's in the Justin olam thread
Wests Tigers centre Justin Olam is on the verge of a medical retirement as he struggles to overcome a knee injury that required surgery in the offseason.
The Papua New Guinean international is striving to get himself on the training field and the Wests Tigers are set to discuss his future with his management later this week.
There are fears the 31-year-old’s time in the NRL could be over as a result of the injury that has severely restricted his workload.
Olam wants to continue playing but is unable to get himself in a position to train with the team. A medical retirement would see him paid out the remainder of his near $600,000-a-season contract which expires at the end of 2026.
It would also mean the Wests Tigers will have his wage wiped from the salary cap, however the club is no guarantee to be granted a medical retirement exemption.
In order to qualify for the medical retirement, the club will have to successfully argue that his career has been cut short due to a one-off injury and not as the result of a chronic issue. The Wests Tigers declined to comment when contacted on Monday.
Olam has long had knee issues dating back to his time at the Melbourne Storm and has been hampered by it during his time at the Tigers.
The knee that required surgery this offseason was the opposite knee that primarily hampered him during his time at the Storm. The Tigers believe he suffered an injury in round 18 against his old club at Leichhardt that has been the major contributor to his current dire predicament.
Olam has been a strong contributor for the joint-venture club when he has been on the field, but was restricted to just 13 of the club’s 24 games in his first season at the Tigers in 2024.
There is the option of undergoing further medical procedures to try and improve his situation, but it may impact on his way of life after rugby league.
Olam was still holding out hope of being able to play for the new NRL team in Papua New Guinea in 2028 to represent his home nation in the NRL but it appears highly unlikely that his body will allow him to play this year, let alone in three years’ time.
The veteran centre’s plight is compounded by the dislocated kneecap suffered by Brent Naden in the Tigers’ 30-18 trial win over Parramatta at Leichhardt Oval that is expected to sideline him for at least the first two months of the season.
pawsandclaws1
Well-known member
There is the link on 9.
Sidelined star on verge of shock call on NRL future
31-year-old missing due to injury
www.nine.com.au
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cone
Well-known member
Spencer Leniu is unhappy at the chooks, not surprising he probably doesn’t fit in with that lifestyle. Richo sign him up now. What a pack that’d be with his addition, luai, api, terrell and turuva have a chat 🙏
Canadian Club
Well-known member
8 weeks for a dislocated knee is not a bad result at all. It could have been so much worse.
cone
Well-known member
Fortunately not an ACL
AdelaideTiger
Well-known member
Centre depth now critical with Olam gone for foreseeable future. Toa and AD look to be 1st choice with Faatape first drop. Taylan May will obviously come into frame but who else out there?
cone
Well-known member
Staggs/Cobbo, they will ask big money but we seem to have a lot of cap space. I see one of
them going to the Roosters though
cone
Well-known member
8. Terrell 9. Api 10. Pole 15. Hunt 16. Leniu
Pretty sexy looking pack 😍
Pretty sexy looking pack 😍
Staggs has re-signed up there - Cobbo is the one who's available however he's more a winger than centre.
pawsandclaws1
Well-known member
cone
Well-known member
Agreed, at wing he’s a superstar. Centre not so much. Can’t think of any others tbh, must be holding out for taylan if anything
Rock Hopper Steve
Well-known member
Good luck trying to get Cobbo out of Queensland another team from there will want him.
cone
Well-known member
The issue would be his homesick issues, he’s homesick in brisbane imagine all the way down in Sydney, imo the only suitable club for his issues is the Cowboys
Rock Hopper Steve
Well-known member
And both have their issues never a dull moment.
weststigerman
Well-known member
If he gets a head knock in a game let's say against Wests Tigers and is medically retired, does that mean we no longer have to contribute to his salary on the salary cap?
cone
Well-known member
Staggs would’ve been such a good signing, unfortunate
Betterdays22
Well-known member
Not confident in having To'a, Doueihi, Faataape as first choice centres. There was chat about Turuva making the move but not sure if he is up for it defensively.There is the link on 9.
Sidelined star on verge of shock call on NRL future
31-year-old missing due to injury
I had a lot of doubts about the Olam-Blore swap. It has proven to be a really, really poor decision from Richo and Benji. They didn't do their dues and to be honest we would be lucky to get a medical retirement signed off by the NRL
