I think he proved in his short spell back in the team last year that there’s still a top class player in there ‘if’ he can get on the field. As Cruncher says there’s no expectation of having him the side anymore and it would be a bonus rather than an expectation to have him back in the side. It’s incredibly cruel the luck he’s had with injuries and theres obviously some genetic problem with his knees that you wonder if he can get over.

I read an interesting comment on the other forum a few weeks back from somebody saying they should bulk him up and convert him in to a second rower. He’s got incredible strength and is tough as they come defensively and you wonder if he play more towards the middle it may cut back on the amount of jumping, twisting, turning etc he needs to do and allow him to play a bit more up and down. I’m no sports scientist but it sounded a shout to somebody with zero knowledge of knee problems.

Who is the surgeon doing the ops? Surely it is his job to find the problem and fix it. If you took your car to a mechanic and it kept breaking down with the same problem you would find another mechanic.

But a surgeon can’t replace parts like a mechanic can, once something major goes in your body you are likely to have problems with it for the rest of your life, add the fact Dom is playing one of the most physically demanding sports in the world and it’s a long shot that one of his knees doesn’t go again after this surgery imo.

Tbf I think Manfredi has had a worse time than Johnstone but I agree it’s a chuffing shame for both players. With Mcgilvery coming to the end of his career both are obvious replacements along with a few others. Such competition could only have been great for our international ambitions.

Correct. It’s also down to the way you are built and a good dose of bad luck. Some players rarely get injured whilst others are blighted by them, no surgeon can fix that.

I hope both get fixed up and return ASAP. Our game can ill afford to lose such talent.