Sam McKendry, a veteran of the Penrith Panthers, will miss the remainder of 2018 due to a catastrophic third ACL rupture in as many seasons.
The former Kiwi Test front-rower, who has only played in two games since mid-2016 because of back-to-back knee reconstructions, re-injured the same knee on Saturday night during the Panthers’ thrilling victory against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
After going down early in the second half of the 18–14 triumph, McKendry initially continued to play for another 13 minutes before being transported for scans on the injury on Sunday.
At 28, McKendry has played in 147 NRL games throughout the course of a career that began ten years ago. His Panthers contract expires at the end of 2019.
Given the severity of the recurrent ailment, this most recent setback undoubtedly raises questions about his playing career. McKendry and the club are currently seeking expert medical opinion on his recuperation.
Phil Gould, general manager of the Panthers, said, “It’s unbelievable sad news for Sam and his family.”
“He has already put in a lot of effort to recover from this injury.
It’s also a major setback for our club. Sam appeared to be returning to his best self.
“As always, we’ll make sure Sam has the greatest medical guidance and attention. However, this game isn’t always fair.”
