A first-choice Leeds Rhinos player has officially been ruled out of the rest of this season after undergoing surgery.
Coach Brad Arthur previously said it was unlikely hooker Danny Levi would play again this year, but that is now confirmed after he had an operation yesterday.
Levi suffered a serious neck injury during Rhinos’ defeat at Castleford Tigers two months ago.
He made a brief comeback as a substitute against St Helens at the end of August, but managed only 14 minutes on the field.
Levi went under the knife yesterday (Monday) and coach Arthur said: “I think it’s a two/three-month process.
“He probably won’t do any contact until the start of the new year, but he will be ready to go.”
Of Levi’s ill-fated return last month, Arthur reflected: “He had done everything, the club and the doctors had all done everything properly.
“Danny was comfortable and there was no pressure from us on him to play – there was probably more pressure on himself to try and get out there.
“Maybe he talked himself into thinking he was better than he was. Typical footballers, the hard thing is protecting them from themselves.
“On reflection we are just lucky it didn’t come back to bite him permanently.”
James McDonnell among Leeds Rhinos man aiming for return
Rhinos got through last week’s 18-12 home loss to Hull FC unscathed and second-rower James McDonnell will return from a pectoral muscle injury in the play-off semi-final a week on Friday
“We are good,” the coach said. “I am going to have to have a tough conversation with someone over the weekend or on Monday, one of our forwards.
“James Mac will be back in the team so one of our forwards is going to miss out. I don’t like that part of it, but it’s my job.
“All the boys have worked hard, but that’s the fortunate position we are in.”
Winger Maika Sivo (broken arm) and loose-forward Keenan Palasia (foot) both returned from long-term injury against Hull and Arthur stressed: “They are good.
“With Maika, you could see the first time he got pushed into touch he didn’t want to get his fend out.
“He was a bit apprehensive at the start, but once he got into it and started to get confidence back in his arm, he was all right.
“Keenan was really good. I was only going to keep him out there for 15 minutes, but he played 25 straight.
“For a bloke who hasn’t done a lot of on-feet conditioning work, he was good and he will be better for it.”
