Jai Arrow says the birthday gift he wants the most this year is the chance to delay season-ending shoulder surgery and continue South Sydney’s unlikely charge towards a place in the NRL’s top eight.
After playing through most of the season with a tear in his supraspinatus tendon, Arrow, who turns 29 next Friday, is booked to go under the knife after the Rabbitohs’ meeting with the Dolphins on Thursday.
Arrow has been on restricted duties all year and admits the discomfort of the injury has meant he can only bench press 80kg.
But after picking up a fifth-straight win against Parramatta on Thursday, the forward is hoping Souths reconsider his surgery and allow him to play his role in the club’s late-season surge back into finals contention.
“I will be doing everything possible to get those two points and put my body in the line because realistically I've got nothing to lose any more,” Arrow said.
“I'll go out there and throw my body around as best as possible and put my body on the line for the boys to get those two points.
“Then the club will reassess and maybe I’ll play on… I’m booked in so if we do win, we reassess.”
Arrow believed even getting as far as next week’s round 19 clash with the Dolphins would have been a stretch when he came off in a loss to Penrith in round nine in severe agony.
“It was my second game back - and I said to the physios, ‘you are absolutely f**king kidding yourselves if you think I’ll play the year out from hereon in’,” Arrow said.
“As time has gone on, I've gotten used to it and they've been great at managing me throughout the week.
“After the Penrith game, I was no chance, I said, ‘book me in I’m not doing this s**t.
“I was in so much pain at the start but then as time goes on, I guess I've just gotten used to it with the amount of strapping.”
Arrow only delayed going under the knife sooner because Souths had so few fit forwards available.
Now fresh troops are on the horizon, the club wants him to get himself right to start 2025 with a bang.
But even then Arrow admits the prospect of playing beyond next week is tempting.
“My biggest fear was letting my teammates down,” he added.
“I’m so happy that I've been a part of the last five weeks.
“If we do get the two points… miracles can happen and the ladder is so congested, I'm happy to do whatever.
“The physios and the coaching stuff will need to take it out of my hands and make the decision for me.”
