South Sydney Rabbitohs prop Liam Knight is set to miss the opening weeks of the 2022 season with concussion.
The 27-year-old Alice Springs-born prop, who has played 48 games for the Rabbitohs since joining the club ahead of the 2019 season, only managed 11 games last year as he battled concussion.
A former Sea Eagle and Raider, Knight has made a name for himself at the Rabbitohs, becoming a regular part of Wayne Bennett's rotation during 2019 and 2020 with 23 and 19 games respectively.
A quiet achiever, the prop has revealed to The Daily Telegraph that he has had three off-season surgeries which will mean he is unlikely to be available before Round 4 or 5.
Knight, along with concussion issues which has limited his games, also had ankle, hip and shoulder problems which he has had three separate surgeries for this off-season.
โI donโt think Iโll be right for round one," Knight told The publication.
I like to tell our physio I will. It just riles him up a little bit but conservatively we are looking at round four or five because of the surgeries I had in the off-season.
โI just want to get myself right. I donโt want to do what I did last year and end up sitting on the sidelines.
Knight missed the grand final loss to Penrith with concussion issues, something he said plagued him for much of the year.
He revealed his first concussion came during pre-season training, with headaches persisting throughout much of the year.
โI was irritable, I had headaches too. Iโm not the best sleeper anyway but I wasnโt sleeping well,โ Knight said.
โI like to be moving all the time so to slow down, watch your team train hard, rip in and not be allowed to do any of it, that was the worst part for me.
โBut I feel 100 per cent now. Thankfully after the season finished I had no lingering symptoms and that has given me a lot of confidence.โ
The Rabbitohs open their season with matches against the Broncos, Storm and Roosters, before playing the Panthers in Round 4. It's thought Knights best chance of a return is in Round 5 when the club play the Dragons at home.
In saying that, it's unclear if he will have a spot in the best 17, with Mark Nicholls and Tevita Tatola the likely starting props, ahead of Thomas Burgess on the bench.
