Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has revealed Corey Harawira-Naera is “smiling and healthy” after the forward had a seizure while playing against the Rabbitohs last weekend.
In what Stuart labelled a “scary incident”, Harawira-Naera collapsed midgame and was subsequently taken off the field via medi-cab before a later assessment in hospital.
Now Raiders coach Stuart has shared a positive update on the player’s wellbeing, speaking to journalists on Thursday after a “deep conversation” with Harawira-Naera a day prior.
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“I had a good catch up with Corey yesterday. Had a deep conversation with him about the situation last week, how it happened. It was just good to see him back smiling and healthy to be quite honest,” Stuart said.
“I’m not really concerned about him getting back to footy. I spoke to him yesterday about when he can get back into a little bit of physical activity and it’s probably next week that he can do a little bit of light training, just to get back into normal routine.
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“It’s good to have him healthy, that’s the first part of it. As I say, the football will come, but we just need Corey back to Corey. Happy and healthy. It was a scary incident and we are lucky that he is back on his feet and healthy again.
“It’ll take him a little bit of time to recover and we will give him as much time as is needed. Our future is in the hands of our medical people.”
A series of small head knocks during the game has been deemed a contributing factor in the seizure, after Canberra officials and medical staff combed through game footage to better understand the incident.
Meanwhile, NRL chief medical officer Dr Sharron Flahive, Canberra medical staff and neurologists are producing a recovery plan for the player’s return to action, which is expected to see him sidelined for at least a month.
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