Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall has confirmed the 2024 NRL season is over for Adam Doueihi.
The utility back, who returned from yet another ACL injury during Round 16 against the Canberra Raiders, has played seven games at centre since his return.
Strong form, particularly in recent weeks, seemed to suggest that Doueihi - who has played all 80 minutes in five of his seven games this campaign for the struggling Tigers - was getting somewhere near back to his best.
In what could only be described as a positive sign for the Tigers, Doueihi, who re-signed with the club earlier this year for the 2025 NRL season, will now miss the end of the season due to 'knee swelling'.
“One of the things you have to do as coach is save players from themselves,” Marshall told the media per News Corp in the lead up to the club's game against the Manly Sea Eagles this weekend.
“Adam is such a hard-headed bloke who just wants to play every game. But I've also got his long-term future in mind, about what's best for him.
“Together with the high performance staff we just thought he's had a bit of swelling on his knee.
“We'll put him on ice and focus on next year for him.”
The end of Doueihi's campaign will allow the utility back to focus on having a full pre-season ahead of the 2025 season, although it's unclear if the swelling is a sign he needs any further work on the recovering knee between now and then.
Playing at centre this year, it's a fair bet that it's the same position Doueihi will run out in next year given the arrival of Jarome Luai at Concord, the number of halves already vying to partner the current Penrith Panther, and the emergence of Jahream Bula at fullback, who is also currently out injured after doing damage to his shoulder.