Cronulla coach John Morris admits something needs to change about Matt Moylan’s hamstring management with a second NRL season in a row ruined by injury.
Moylan was dropped by the Sharks two weeks ago after some shoddy defence as he battled form and fitness, before another hamstring strain was detected.
The fullback-turned-five-eighth managed just 11 games last year, and now looks as if he will struggle to add to his eight so far this season.
“He’s just out indefinite for us at the moment. He needs to get it right,” Morris said.
“It’s going to be another year interrupted games for him. He’s tried to get on the park and do his best.
“But you obviously get judged on your performance and if you’re not right physically to do your best then it’s going to be hard to stay in the team.”
The 29-year-old Moylan also battled hamstring injuries in his final year at Penrith, where questions were at the time asked about his attitude to rehabilitation.
Morris believed Moylan’s issues had been accentuated by one of the toughest seasons in history, with no byes or rep rounds.
But a bigger issue was a calf issue suffered earlier this year.
Cronulla initially believed they had got on top of Moylan’s hamstring last summer, and had put together a program to manage it.
However, the calf injury limited the strength work able to be done in the hamstring, which the Sharks believe have prompted the latest injury and put them back to square one.
“It’s definitely concerning, it’s two years in a row so something needs to change,” Morris said.
“Whether it’s what we’re doing off the field or how much work we’re putting into him from a strength point of view.
“We need a review on the best practice to get it back.”
Meanwhile, Cronulla hope to have halfback Shaun Johnson back to face the Warriors next week.
Johnson has now missed three straight games, firstly sitting out with a groin injury before a separate hamstring blow at training last week.
“I’m hoping for next week, we’ve got a long turnaround into the Warriors game,” Morris said.
“He was a bit short this week, he hasn’t done enough running.”