DOCTORS don't ordinarily defer to a higher power in their assessments but in Lote Tuqiri's case there has become little option. ''He has to hope that the lap of the gods is with him,'' Wests Tigers doctor Donald Kuah said.
What the man in the white coat - or in reality, the black and gold polo shirt - is referring to is Tuqiri's return from injury, which is expected to take place against Parramatta on Sunday.
Kuah is not throwing out the textbooks and years of training and experience, but he conceded the veteran winger was in desperate need of some old-fashioned good luck.
Advertisement: Story continues below
The reason? On Tuqiri's previous two forays back into the NRL during an injury-riddled season, he has picked up fresh and unrelated concerns in his very first game back.
First, there was his comeback from an early-season broken arm, which he made against Newcastle at Leichhardt Oval in June. Six minutes into that match he fell awkwardly and picked up an ankle injury that put him out for another month.
Then, after finally shrugging off that fitness drama to make his way back against the Sydney Roosters in Round 20, he broke down again, this time with a torn quad.
It is yet to be determined if Tuqiri has wandered under a ladder or walked on too many cracks this year. But in terms of a medical analysis, he may as well have. ''I think he's just unlucky,'' Kuah said. ''It's not like a groin [injury] into a quad or into a hamstring on the same side. One was an arm, another was an ankle, this one was a quad. They're not closely linked together. They are separate injuries.''
If, as they say, you make your own luck, then it was little wonder Tuqiri was leaving nothing in the bank as he tore across the Concord Oval field and tested out the quad on the steps of the grandstand at the Tigers' training ground yesterday.
He is expected to join the rest of the Tigers squad in training this week and if, as is increasingly likely, he is chosen to return against the Eels at the Sydney Football Stadium, the dual international's presence will be another boost for Tim Sheens's side.
The Tigers have won five games in a row and are gaining traction in their late bid for a top-four spot. Their last loss came on July 8, at the hands of the Eels, their opponents on Sunday. ''I had a chat to him earlier, and he reckons he is a chance of playing. He was looking pretty quick out there,'' Tigers lock Chris Heighington said. ''He'll probably do a bit more tomorrow and we'll see after that.''
If he does return on Sunday, Tuqiri would have every reason to feel uneasy about the prospect of such an unfortunate trend striking him yet again. But he has been around too long, and played at too high a level, to be anxious about such twists of fate, according to Kuah.
''You have to remember that someone like Lote is a seasoned dual international,'' said the Tigers doctor, noting also that centre Chris Lawrence remained on track to return from a hamstring tear in week one of the semi-finals.
''If you were to say this about a rookie or a 21-year-old then I think that would be more of an issue. But as a seasoned dual international I think he'll have that in check. His mind is very strong. I don't think it will play much on Lote's mind at all.''
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...dled-season-20110815-1iuu4.html#ixzz1VC3k4yMK
I really dont think our team doctor had any textbooks or years of training to throw out. Wouldn't let him treat me for a cold:roll:. I swaer he moonlights in my local asian takeawy!
