Oct 21st, 2018

Oct 21st, 2018

Penrith ace James Maloney will undergo potentially career saving neck surgery this week.

Panthers officials were privately worried that a chronic neck injury would cast a cloud over the long-term future of the 32-year-old Maloney.

There were fears that Maloney would need a disc replacement - a delicate surgery with complications.

But scans and a visit to a specialist last week confirmed that Maloney just needs minor repairs to his spine and will be back in full training by late December and should make a rapid and complete recovery.

“It’s great news and a relief for James and the club,” Panthers supremo Phil Gould says. “Few people realise how brave he was all last season.

“He played most of the season with pain and weakness in his left arm.

“It was a tribute to his courage and commitment that he played many times when he should’ve been watching from the grandstands.

“He is a brave young man.”