CASTLEFORD TIGERS forward George Griffin has had four hernias removed in a bizarre injury that will see him sidelined for another month.
Griffin is yet to play in Super League 2024 having suffered a concussion in late January in a pre-season friendly, but now Castleford head coach Craig Lingard has revealed that his problems have been more than just a head injury.
“It’s not just been a concussion for George, he had an operation on four hernias. He had the issue from last season where he was scanned a few times but it didn’t show anything up and he struggled to play through,” Lingard said.
“We sent him down to London for another scan and it showed four hernias so he was operated on four or five weeks ago. Potentially he could be out ready and available in the next month.”
One man who won’t be back on the rugby field soon will be George Lawler, who suffered a bleed on the brain last week.
Lingard has given an update on the forward, with Lawler currently unable to drive to training.
“We are hoping George will come in the building on Saturday morning to show his face. He is back home now; he was released from hospital last weekend after the 48-hour period.
“He has issues where he can’t drive at the moment so getting him into training on a daily basis hasn’t been the main focus yet.
“It’s about making sure he is right and he will be back in on Saturday for the team run to get around the boys. He will hopefully be at the game on Sunday so the fans can give him an ovation. If the fans could see him out and about and that he is making a return to health it would be good.”
In terms of Lawler’s potential future in rugby league, Lingard has insisted it is too early to give that any thought and that the whole focus has to be on the forward’s health.
“We wouldn’t know about the future at this stage. He has got to see the neurologist and do a lot of tests. It’s a given with a brain injury that you have to go through protocols and do what’s right for your health and not the sport.
“There will no pressure from us as a club or me as a coach to get him through the tests as soon as possible. We have to do what’s best for George’s health.
“I can’t see an immediate turnaround or decision on this. It’s got to be thought through properly and thorough because if he does return, it will be because it is fully safe to do so.”
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