Really interesting interview from George on Wigan TV - seems that lockdown did him no favours at all with the injury and he might have been able to get through it otherwise with regular access to physio/rehab work etc. Clearly an underlying issue though that he would need to have addressed at some point anyhow and if it was affecting his life outside of the sport far better to try and sort it asap rather than potentially making it worse through playing rugby.

Get the impression that neither him or Wigan have ruled out the possibility of him returning to the squad in 2022 if the surgery has the impact they hope it will. I'm sure everyone would welcome him back with open arms if his health improves.

Either way I'm sure the club will continue to support him as they seem to be really on the ball with player welfare these days. Best of luck to him.

yeah he didnt play a game so it wont count if we do

He came to SL because every single club in the NRL knew his body had gone

Very honest interview and you can see the last year and a bit has pained him in more ways than one. I like you got the feeling that he could well be back at Wigan in 2022 if things went well but that’s a long way down the track and a lot will need to go right for that to happen. It was interesting to hear there is a player he spoke to in Rugby Union who has had the op and has since played a few seasons, saying it was the best thing he ever did.

Ultimately if he comes back here, gets to play elsewhere or retires full time, I admire the call and I really hope things work out for him.

Would he not be paid out under insurance?

Some nice photos of Luke Thompson on social media in Wigan training gear

I can’t see it, he’s not retired and very much seems to be seeing it as a year out to try and get sorted and then weight up a comeback for 2022. It seems to be a case of the club and him coming to an agreement that allows him to get an operation and spend many months of rehabilitation away from the squad and probably back home in Australia before assessing the situation well down the track.

He probably had two options-

1-get his full salary from Wigan, have the op, stay in England, face criticism for not being fit for the whole of 2021 and do his rehab here in the cold.

or

2-take a percentage of his salary as a lump sum, get the op and head back to Oz to be around his family and try and get his body in to a position where he can consider a comeback next year.

Looking at the lives people are leading in Oz at the minute, I can see why option 2 would be a winner!!

He might also get a train and play type deal in Aus. That's if the op is successful of course. It wouldn't surprise me to see him on a low wage at South's again.

The most positive part of the story is the talk with the RU guy. Hopefully GB is as lucky. It's just a shame he didn't do it 12+ months earlier.

I hope he does play again but I just can't see it. I feel sorry for the lad, at 28 years of age he should be in his prime but unfortunately he is entering the unknown. I wish him well.

There’s some proper horrible comments online. Some “fans” ought to be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

Yeah, Hastings has called them out on Twitter.

Watching the interview on Wigan TV you can see George is totally gutted and heaps praise on the Wigan club for all that they are doing for him .Reading between the lines he is only taking a year out and may be back playing with us or any other side.