Thomas Leuluai will make a call on whether he has played his last game for Wigan Warriors in the next month after Adrian Lam confirmed his season has been curtailed due to injury.
Wigan and Leuluai's worst fears were confirmed on Tuesday, when Lam revealed that the hamstring tear suffered by Leuluai will rule him out for the remainder of the 2021 campaign.
The 36-year-old only signed a one-year contract for the current season, and is yet to decide on whether he will play on in 2022. That means he could realistically have appeared for the Warriors for the final time as a player, but Lam was non-committal on whether a decision has been made about Leuluai's future.
"It's an emotional part of his injury and it's difficult to know you're not going to be playing for the rest of the season," Lam said.
"He's going to do his best to recover as quick as he can but it's not going to be in time for this season. That process (about his future) will happen over the next month for him. That'll be his decision and the club's. It's another blow, it's one of our key spine players."
When asked if he would like to see Leuluai continue as a player, Lam said: "That would be a decision he'd need to make, to be honest with you. He's playing some good rugby, but it's how his body is, and how he feels and communicates with the club over the next few weeks.
"I'm not sure it's the end for him. I know within our group, he's our leader and he's a real popular member of the group and he brings us to another level with his presence. When he's sitting in the dressing room playing, I feel better as a coach. We're a different group with him there."
Lam confirmed that Sam Powell and Liam Farrell are likely to operate in a dual role as captains for the remainder of the season in Leuluai's absence, and the Warriors will be boosted by the return of Powell and the suspended Olly Partington for Friday's derby with St Helens.
