'He was coming': Sad detail around Munster and family after Jahrome Hughes injury

Yahoo

4 days ago

Jahrome Hughes' shoulder injury has forced him to miss the funeral for Cameron Munster's father Steve, which was held on Friday in Queensland. Hughes dislocated his shoulder on Thursday night during the Storm's 34-30 win over the Roosters - an injury that has thrown their premiership credentials into major doubt.
Storm officials weren't able to relocate the shoulder at Allianz Stadium, but doctors were successful when he went to hospital. The Storm revealed on Friday that Hughes got back to the team hotel in the early hours of the morning, and they're hopeful there's no significant structural damage.
But Melbourne's football boss Frank Ponissi has also revealed that Hughes' injury prevented him from travelling to Queensland on Friday morning to support Munster at his teammate's father's funeral. Munster didn't play on Thursday night because it would have been too tricky to get back to Queensland for the funeral on Friday after playing just hours before in Sydney.
Some of the Storm players and staff caught a flight from Sydney to Rockhampton at 6am on Friday to be at the funeral, and Hughes was meant to be among them. But his dislocated shoulder ruined that plan and he wasn't allowed to travel.
Sad detail around Cameron Munster's father's funeral
Journalist Andrew Webster read out a text message from Ponissi on SEN radio on Friday. "He said Jahrome got back to the hotel last night. They finally put the shoulder back in place in hospital without too many issues," Webster said.
"At this stage very difficult to assess, although the initial scans show nothing too sinister. He was coming up to Munster's father's funeral this morning with a few of us, but instead will now head straight back to Melbourne with the team where they will assess him."
Hughes would have wanted to be there for Munster amid a difficult time for the Storm five-eighth and his family. Steve Munster died on the eve of State of Origin 3, and Cameron played just days later and led Queensland to a series victory.
He didn't back up for the Storm a few days later against Newcastle, but returned in Round 20 against Manly. He missed Thursday night's game against the Roosters so he didn't have to make a mad dash to Queensland on Friday morning.
Craig Bellamy speaks after Jahrome Hughes injury
Speaking after the game on Thursday night, Storm coach Craig Bellamy said of Hughes' injury: 'He's gone to hospital, the doctor has gone with him, it's dislocated, and they couldn't get it back in here.
'He'll probably have to go under to get it back in ... Whether he has a crack in it as well, we might not find out until Friday. We'd like to think they'll get it back in tonight. I had both shoulders reconstructed, and the longer they're out, it's a bigger problem … the longer it's out, the more it stretches the ligaments and muscles around the joint.'
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Thankfully for the Storm it looks like Hughes might have avoided a season-ending blow, although nothing will be confirmed until the scan results get back. Questions are being asked about whether the Storm can still win the comp if their star halfback is sidelined.
Bellamy said Tyran Wishart or Jonah Pezet will step into the No.7 role while Hughes is out. And Munster is expected to be back next week against Parramatta, when he'll be tasked with taking on more responsibility.