Rugby League: Kiwi Kieran Foran's troubled NRL career hangs in the balance

Kieran Foran...determined to beat the NRL's latest curse. Photo / Photosport

Kiwi Kieran Foran is reportedly fending off retirement rumours after another devastating blow to his NRL career.

The 29-year-old Foran will have shoulder surgery on Thursday, following the dislocation which forced him out of the Kiwis clash against Great Britain at Eden Park.

Brisbane Bronco Matt Gillett and South Sydney's Sam Burgess, both aged 31, have recently retired prematurely because of shoulder issues, and it would be no surprise if Foran had to follow suit.

It is a big blow to the resurgent Canterbury Bulldogs, who will be without the Kiwi for at least the first two months of the 2020 season.

The Telegraph reported "the veteran playmaker is refusing to even discuss retirement and is determined to make it back for the Bulldogs around May next year the best case scenario."

Foran was injured while making a tackle on James Graham early in the test, damaging the same shoulder which required surgery three years ago.

Foran - who also had highly publicised off field issues - has struggled to put a run of games together over the past four years at the Eels, Warriors and Bulldogs.

The problem for Foran is that he is out of contract at the end of next year, and injury problems may make it hard to find a new contract.

He had only just returned to the Kiwis, replacing Shaun Johnson who was dropped after a nondescript display against the Kangaroos.

Kiwi coach Michael Maguire said after the test victory: "I'm shattered for Kieran. He is one hell of a fella, he put himself back in this arena.

"No doubt he will get back to work and do what he does best which is get himself right. He was in really good shape for this game.

"We were really excited for him as a group. To see him go down was devastating."

Veteran NRL and British coach Wayne Bennett has called on the NRL to investigate why bad shoulder problems are so common.

"I think, without making the headline, that it's the most common injury at the moment that we have," the Souths' boss said.

"It's something to look at — why so many of these type of injuries are happening and why it's finishing guy's careers a lot earlier than we all thought they would."