Injured Wests Tigers playmaker Adam Doueihi doesn’t want to put an exact timeline on when he might return from his third ACL tear, but the Lebanese international is quietly optimistic he’ll be back playing by July as he continues to tick off significant milestones in his recovery.
There was a flat feeling around Accor Stadium last season when the talented 25-year-old landed awkwardly and stayed down in the final 10 minutes of a game against the Eels on April 10, with everyone at the venue hoping it wasn’t what it looked like.
But scans confirmed the worst, with Doueihi suffering his third ACL tear, with this one set to rule him out for 12-16 months after surgery.
It’s always tough, especially being my third one,” he said almost 12 months after he signed a one-year extension for the 2024 season.
“I know just how physically and emotionally draining it can be on you through the rehab process, so you do have some days where you’re by yourself and you overthink stuff in your head.
“But I’ve been really good this time around. I know what to expect and I know what it takes to come back.
“I’m about 30 weeks post-op and I feel like I’m getting better every week.
“As long as I keep winning every day and every week, I know there’s a clear path to me getting back and returning to my best footy.”
The Tigers star has been running for two months and trained away from the main group on Thursday morning alongside John Bateman, who had minor clean-out surgery in the off-season.
