Cowboys signing Kaiden Lahrs set to go under the knife

The former Farrer student will soon undergo a shoulder reconstruction after injuring his right shoulder in the Australia Schoolboys' win over the Junior Kumuls at Port Moresby late last month.

The boom Townsville-based lock, the son of former Blues enforcer Tom Lahrs, expects to miss the start of next season after being operated on in Brisbane.

An operation date of October 25 has been pencilled in, although that is expected to be pushed back because the 17-year-old is set to sit his year 12 final exams at Kirwan High.

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Understandably, the worse-than-expected injury outcome left Lahrs feeling a "little bit down", as he put it.

"I wasn't too happy with the news," he said. "But it gives me time to work on other stuff, so it's not too bad."

That "other stuff" includes his flexibility, lower-body strength and endurance.

Lahrs - pictured above in his Kirwan High playing strip ahead of the Kumuls clash - expects to miss only one or two games at the start of next season.

"That's not a bad result," he said.

"He [the Cowboys' doctor] reckons when it's all done, I should be back to normal after a bit of rehab," he also said.

Lahrs signed a three-year development deal with the Cowboys that commences in 2024.

The former Junior Bronco, who turns 18 in January, will link with the Cowboys' NRL squad for the upcoming pre-season and then train with it throughout the 2024 season.

He hopes to play Hostplus Cup (formally the Queensland Cup) in 2024, before making his NRL debut the following season.

Lahrs came off when he injured his shoulder in the 20-16 defeat of the Junior Kumuls at the National Football Stadium on September 24.

The Australian vice-captain said he "finally convinced" Australia's coaching staff to let him return to the field "for the final stretch of the game".

"Probably would've been better [to stay off]," he added. "But it was my last chance to play for the Australian Schoolboys side."

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