Appendix operation means Cas will lose star player at the business end of the season. Will the wheels fall off the wagon?

Unfortunately he'll be back in time for the semi

Why unfortunately? I prefer to see what all sides can do at their best. The only exception is Australia v GB, where I'd happily take 4 or 5 (not too serious) injuries if that meant we beat them when it counts.

Why, so if/when we beat them they can say it was against their reserve team? Always better to beat an opposition with their best players on the field.

The weaker Cas are the more chance Leeds have of winning.

sad when we need star players injured to have a sniff of winning. true but still sad

Its where Leeds are these days unfortunately.

Could be back anywhere between 2-6 weeks depending on recovery.

Normal recovery time from this operation is minimum 4 weeks before any exercise. I presume they will have used key hole type surgery. Obviously this increases the recovery rate but still puts his chances of a grand final appearance in doubt.
On the other hand they might want to take a chance with him. Also most people seem to think that cas are nailed on for a grand final appearance. Might not be the case , either Wigan, hull, or saints won't be a pushover at the lane.
Feel a bit sorry for cas , I think they have brightened up super league this year in a sea of mediocrity.

Agreed.

4 weeks for normal people - these are highly trained/fit athletes with access the best medical/rehabilitation facilities around

He will be back for the semi final

I hope he recovers soon after the season he's had I wouldn't like him to miss out on The Chance of glory and it would be better for us if we played Cas in the GF if they were at full strength and beat them

Big risk. He won't have done much training. Even with key hole surgery it's still an invasive operation. Add in the factor of the general anasthetic. Possibly a course of painkillers and antibiotics not the ideal situation for a big game. Not certain of the time factor but I know the medics don't like you to fly after an operation. For what reason I am not certain. Either way it's a gamble. I think we all remember the Keith senior gamble that failed spectacularly.

Normal people don't have a big 17st forward smashing into his stomach with their shoulders. Cas' SF is in 15 days, one thing to be fit another thing for that area to take some very heavy impacts. They'll be a bullseye on him if he plays.

No Gale no Trophy! Simple as.

Just for the record, I don't think they will win it with or without him.

Will this thread come back to haunt you? Potentially.

Why! It's an opinion. I'm not the all seeing eye.

If I'm wrong who really gives a f*ck?

I just have a feeling it's not their year.

Keith Senior simply couldn't run Stevie Wonder could see in the warm up - why Senior suggested he could play only he knows

There may be but he good enough to avoid that kind of impact. More likely a player will get sent off for a very late tackle. You desperation is duly noted

Hopefully he plays.

Then there are no excuses should they not go on to win the trophy... that and they don't really deserve to have such cruel luck bestowed upon them after such a great regular season where they have been a million miles ahead of the rest.

He's good enough to avoid it when fit, but he won't be. just read the article on the Leeds site from Josh Jordan Roberts, he had the same thing earlier this year and he was out for 5 weeks as he says you have build your core back up. I had keyhole surgery around the same area but for a hernia and my recovery went really well but just being honest I don't think you can play RL 2 weeks later. If he plays it'll be a heart over head selection and probably will end a similar way to Senior in 2005.

Just a thought but maybe Powell is playing mind games. Giving him 2 weeks off and out he comes for the final 2 games.

He's tweeted all gone well - doesn't sound like someone not expecting to play until the WC.

Senior was just selfish and it was a different kind of injury - ankle IIRC - time will tell hopefully he gets to play he and his team deserve it

Should imagine the tweet all gone well would refer to the operation being successful . Any operation carries some risk so he is quite understandably glad it's over. Reference senior, surely the coaching ,management team would have some input into playing senior. So the decision would have been a collective one which failed spectacularly. Anyway all will be revealed one way or another in the coming weeks.

I'm sure the operation did go well, it's hardly a complex massive surgery and JJR said his went really well also, doesn't mean he won't be struggling to make it back it time for Cas. Chris Green for Hull had the same operation after Wembley and has missed the last 2 games, misses this week and is only a maybe to get back next week.