The Dolphins have revealed Queensland Maroons representative prop Thomas Flegler is back training after undergoing an 'unusual' surgery on his shoulder in a bid to repair nerve damage.
Flegler managed just four games in his first season at the Dolphins after being heralded as the club's new forward pack leader for their second season in existence after he was poached from the Brisbane Broncos.
A shoulder injury that was originally deemed not serious saw complications with his recovery that was eventually deemed to be nerve damage.
In September, the Dolphins admitted Flegler's prospects of returning to the field at any stage were not guaranteed despite the fact he was training in a limited capacity and at one point wanted to play in the middle of the season.
“The worst-case scenario is he won't play again,” Dolphins high performance boss Jeremy Hickmans said at the time.
“That's a remote possibility so we can't beat about the bush, but the hope is that Fleg should be OK.”
A nerve transfer surgery has now been completed though, and according to Wide World of Sports' The Mole, Flegler's return timeline is still a guessing game, but that he was working towards his return.
"It's really a guessing game at this point because of the unusual nature of the injury and the surgery," a Dolphins spokesperson is quoted as saying by the publication.
"But the good news is that the surgery went well and Tom is training again.
"There are certain things he can't do at this stage and it's just a case of waiting and seeing.
"He is in good spirits and working towards his return."
The prop, a likely contender to work his way back into the Queensland State of Origin side if he can return to full fitness, is contracted with the Dolphins until at least the end of 2027 on a contractb believed to be worth around $900,000 per season.
The NRL's newest outfit will be desperate to have their star aggressor back on the park, although it remains unclear if there is any chance of that happening in time for Round 1.
Flegler isn't the only player with an unclear return timeline after back-up fullback Trai Fuller suffered an ACL injury during the QLD Cup finals series.
In better news, other injuries for Jeremy Marshall-King, Kenneath Bromwich, Connelly Lemuelu and Tom Gilbert should all be healed in time for Round 1, with Gilbert's return in particular a big boost for the Dolphins.
He hasn't played a club game since the State of Origin period of 2023 when he suffered a shoulder injury. That ended his season, before an ACL injury during a 2024 pre-season trial ended his return campaign before it started.