Leeds Rhinos: Carl Ablett on a wait for all clear after ‘clear-out’

FRUSTRATED FORWARD Carl Ablett is aiming to be back on the field for Leeds Rhinos within the next few weeks.
Carl Ablett.Carl Ablett.
Carl Ablett.

The veteran second-rower has not played since suffering a knee injury when Leeds lost at home to Hull KR on September 1 last year.

He trained through the early part of pre-season, but then underwent surgery on an ankle and has yet to play in 2019.

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Explaining the current situation, Ablett said: “Hopefully I’m not far off.

Carl Ablett.Carl Ablett.
Carl Ablett.

“Obviously it has been really frustrating. I completed the first part of pre-season, but I just had a little niggle in my ankle that has probably been there for a while.

“We made the decision to have the surgery done so I had that done at the beginning of January.

“It is frustrating that I’ve done the first big block of hard work and then it obviously puts you back having the surgery.

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“It has been a pretty slow recovery, really. I wanted to be farther ahead than I am but, hopefully, I can speed it up now. In the next couple of weeks I’ll start to up it and then, hopefully, be back playing.”

Carl Ablett is helped off the field after picking up a knee injury agaonst Hull Kingston Rovers in September.Carl Ablett is helped off the field after picking up a knee injury agaonst Hull Kingston Rovers in September.
Carl Ablett is helped off the field after picking up a knee injury agaonst Hull Kingston Rovers in September.

Ablett has not done any “full-on” running yet. He added: “I am just trying to control it, get rid of all the swelling and get all the movement back in it.

“I am building it back up now. It is frustrating but, in the long term, it is something I needed to do.

“I probably could not have managed it all through the year again so I decided to get it done and, hopefully, I’ll reap the benefits.”

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The latest surgery stems from a past injury, Ablett revealed. He said: “A few years ago I had an operation and they put some work in there.

“[Last month] that was taken out and they got rid of loads of other stuff that was in the joint that shouldn’t have been.

“I had a good clear out, they cleared some bone out and it’s probably the best it has felt in a good few years.

“In the long term it is going to be really beneficial, but in the short term I have had to take a bit of a hit.”

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Rhinos had a tough start to the season, losing 26-6 in their Betfred Super League opener at Warrington Wolves.

The fixture list is not getting any easier with trips to Wigan Warriors, on Friday, and Salford Red Devils and St Helens before the end of this month.

Ablett admitted he is desperate to be able to contribute.

“Ideally I would have got it done in the off-season,” he confirmed. “But I started the first block of pre-season feeling pretty good, I picked up a bit of an injury and then I was struggling with it so we decided to get it done.

“You don’t want to be missing the start of the season, but I suppose it is better missing this part and being available for the back end.

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“Hopefully it’s all fixed up now and it’s not going to hold me back.

“The last few years, it has always been an issue and something I’ve coped with and managed but, hopefully, now it’s all clear, I can get fit and, once I am, I can have a good season.”