Sheffield Sharks receive bad news about popular centre Bennett Koch

A popular figure at the club since before the pandemic, 6ft 10in centre and Wisconsin native Koch was enjoying a stellar season until a back injury forced him to the bench during the Sharks’ play-off run in May.

The 29-year-old was advised at the time that surgery wasn’t required and a rehab process was undertaken with November the target date for him to return to the court.

But both the club and the player have now accepted that is not possible and Koch will fly home on November 18 to consult with the doctor - who also works with the Green Bay Packers - about whether surgery is required.

Sharks are facing up to the fact they may not see him on the court this season but do want him to remain a part of their future, particularly next year if they venture into European competition.

“He has not made the progress that we would have liked to see, unfortunately,” explained Sharks general manager Sarah Backovic.

“They looked at it back in May and decided that there was a chance to avoid surgery and the rehab was going really, really well until Bennett started to practise again and it just flared up.

“It’s one of those conditions you can’t afford to mess about with. In safety terms we thought it’s better that you look to get it sorted now, because at some point in his life he will need surgery on his back.

“The Packers consultant is saying the best-case scenario is probably three to four months. That would be March, but we’re not worrying about that, let’s just get him repaired..”

It leaves head coach Atiba Lyons with a spot to fill on his active 12-man roster, but crucially when it comes to a replacement, they would have to go British because the arrival of Donovan Clay last week took them to the maximum number of six imports. Koch was in the process of applying for a British passport.

“We’re up to capacity on our imports so we won’t necessarily replace Bennett this season,” said Backovic.

“It’s Atiba’s call. Maybe when we get to the business end of the season someone may come along who’s British who we think may help us but we’ve got no firm plans.

“Bennett is an important guy to us, he’s been here a long time, he’s part of the fabric, he wants to return, so we have to take the best route for his longevity .”