NRL NEWS
'Inspirational' Masoe in for long recovery after serious spinal injury
Author
Troy Whittaker NRL.com Reporter
Timestamp
Thu 16 Jan 2020, 04:10 PM
The rugby league world has come together to support ex-NRL prop Mose Masoe, who suffered a serious spinal injury while playing for UK club Hull KR last weekend.
More than £12,000 (AUD $22,000) has
been donated to an online fundraiser to assist the New Zealand-born 30-year-old.
Masoe is recovering after surgery to relieve pressure on his spine and although the early signs are good, he faces a long rehab process.
In their most recent update, Hull KR said they were "unable to give a definitive report on when Masoe will return".
Masoe, who played 63 NRL games for the Roosters and Panthers between 2010 and '13, was defending his goal-line in a friendly match against Wakefield Trinity when he was hurt in a tackle.
"What looked like an innocuous challenge, something you see on the field 50 times a year, has turned into something significantly more serious," Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell told BBC Radio.
Hudgell said the Samoan international was a "hugely respected" family man.
"He has two beautiful girls aged six and four, and his wife is having another baby in July and they are at the centre of his first thoughts," Hudgell said.
"Having seen him in hospital, he is a very inspirational character – he is laid down with a smile on his face asking how everyone else is, how his teammates are getting on. Our focus is on Mose."
Former NRL player and reigning Super League Man of Steel Jackson Hastings is auctioning off a 2019 Salford jersey, with all proceeds going to Masoe.
After the freak incident on the weekend. I’m auctioning off my 2019 home playing shirt for Mose Masoe! Comment on the post all the proceeds will go to Mose. Highest bid by Sunday will get the shirt. I’ll start at £100.
#FootyFamily 
pic.twitter.com/mOoTuylezK
— Jackson Hastings (@JackoHastings)
January 14, 2020
The current highest bid is £650. "Nothing but love for people donating [their] hard earned money to help a fellow human," Hastings wrote on Twitter. "Rugby league, best sport ever."
The Rugby League Benevolent Fund flew Masoe's family over to England from Australia after he suffered the injury.
Masoe joined St Helens in 2014, winning the Super League title in his first season. He returned to the NRL with St George Illawarra in 2016 but a knee injury prevented him from playing a game.
In 2017 the damaging forward moved to Hull KR, where he is signed until the end of next year.
https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/16...or-long-recovery-after-serious-spinal-injury/
