Penrith Panthers five-eighth Jarome Luai has revealed his estimated return date after he missed the opening week of the finals against the New Zealand Warriors due to injury.
The playmaker has revealed that he would have been fit to return next week if Penrith had lost against the Warriors today, per Channel Nine.
The star five-eighth, who played for the New South Wales Blues in the opening two games of this year's State of Origin series before being dropped, was able to have his shoulder relocated by medical staff in the dressing sheds soon after being taken from the field against the Parramatta Eels in Round 26.
Since then, the Panthers confirmed there was significant damage to his shoulder, but he was lucky to avoid immediate surgery.
"Luai suffered a shoulder dislocation in the first half of the Round 26 match and soon after had the shoulder relocated by medical staff in the dressing sheds," the club said at the time.
"The representative playmaker has avoided immediate surgery however there is significant damage to the shoulder."
It's likely he will need to have surgery during the off-season in an effort to strengthen the shoulder for a full 2024 season.
His arrival back into the team will see Newcastle Knights' bound half Jack Cogger likely move out of the team, or he could join the interchange bench, playing a one-two punch with Mitch Kenny.