Jonny Lomax reveals major health fears after gruesome jaw injury

St Helens half-back Jonny Lomax has revealed how ‘scary’ his horrific jaw injury was – admitting there were genuine fears over his health before undergoing emergency surgery.

Lomax has missed the last 11 weeks after a gruesome and brutal facial injury suffered against Warrington Wolves. It later emerged that he needed surgery to fix a jaw that was fractured.

But now, the veteran half-back – who has announced he will retire at the end of the coming season – has now lifted the lid on just how bad it was.

Lomax reveals health fears over injury

Lomax, speaking to Sky Sports after St Helens’ defeat to Leeds Rhinos on Friday evening, smiled as he went into detail discussing what happened – before revealing there were valid fears over his health due to complications from the injury.

He explained: “The fella that did the surgery has done a great job I’d like to hope. He’s done a fantastic job, they see those things day in, day out. But it was a scary one.

“They were concerned with my airways with the amount of blood I was losing and the lack of control I had in the jaw. But everyone wants the pretty stuff and the highlight reels and if you don’t do the rubbish stuff, you don’t deserve any of the good stuff. That’s something I’ve been able to keep showing up and battling through, I’ve done it again now.”

Jonny Lomax explains future plans

With his playing career drawing to a close, attention is now beginning to turn towards what Lomax may do in 2027 and beyond.

There is an expectation that the Saints will likely offer the legendary playmaker a role in their backroom staff under Kevin Walters next season. Lomax has also completed a physiotherapy degree in preparation for his playing career coming to an end.

But he insisted that for now, he is intent on having a break before determining his next steps – and whether they are inside rugby league or outside of the game he has given his adult life to.

“I don’t know where it (his future) lies at the minute,” he said.

“I’ll take the next month as it comes and have a bit of freedom. It’s all encompassing, you’ve got to be all in and the family has got to be all in. You talk about some of the adversity but it’s worse for them, they’ve got to keep watching.

“I’ll enjoy what’s to come and be free for a bit after that. I’ve done my physio degree because I didn’t know if I’d get back playing properly. But I’ve got some passions I’d like to look into.”