Talented young Wests Tigers backrower Simon Dwyer faces uncertain future as doctors search for a solution
James Hooper
From: The Sunday Telegraph
July 03, 2011 12:00AM
THE playing future of rising star Simon Dwyer remains uncertain, with doctors still unable to provide the Wests Tigers forward with a time frame for his recovery.
The Tigers back-rower has undergone a series of CT scans and tests over the past week since he suffered severe nerve damage in his right arm against the Bulldogs in round 16.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told the NRL rookie and his family have already begun exploring alternative treatments for a brachial plexus injury, including nerve grafting overseas.
The Dwyers have also examined Lance Armstrong's Livestrong Foundation website, in which it details the best stretching exercises to help counter an injury normally the domain of NFL players, downhill skiers or mountain-bike riders.
In some positive news, the City Origin forward was released from Royal North Shore Private Hospital yesterday after spending seven nights under observation and has returned home.
Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys admitted Dwyer was still struggling for feeling in the majority of his right arm and was still coming to terms with facing an unknown period on the sidelines.
"Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to take some months. There have been cases where it can take up to a year," Humphreys said. "We're obviously hoping, given Simon's age and strength and determination, that he's not the average guy.
"But it's not like an ACL or a broken arm where you can be pretty definitive about how long and what happens next."
The Sunday Telegraph understands Dwyer was fitted with a neck brace from Monday until Friday last week as a precaution against a possible spinal injury.
Initially, Dwyer had no feeling in his arm from the shoulder down but Humphreys said he had since regained some feeling.
"Simon's had several scans during the week, all of which have dismissed any spinal injury concern," he said. "He'll have some further tests in about three to four weeks that will test the workings of the nerves.
"One scan revealed there was some bruising on one of the vertebrae but that was caused by the nerves being stretched and jolted out of place. As a precaution, the neck brace went back on for a couple of days and they did some more testing."
Regarded as one of the hottest emerging back-rowers in the NRL, Dwyer had several visitors in hospital including City Origin coach Brad Fittler and teammates Beau Ryan and Mitch Brown. Humphreys and coach Tim Sheens were also regulars, along with his parents.
His father Paul has created a Twitter account to post updates of Dwyer's condition and on Friday posted: "Simon Dwyer had his neck brace removed this morning 1 July 2011."
Yesterday it was more positive news, posting: "Shoulder scans all good news for Simon Dwyer. Simon is home from hospital."
The Tigers were initially criticised by the NRL's chief medical officer Ron Muratore for walking Dwyer from the field rather than using a stretcher or medicab. But, given the nature of the problem and the nerve damage, the decision had no impact on the injury.