Heremaia out for Hull

New Hull signing Aaron Heremaia will miss their Super League opener against Warrington with a neck injury.

Heremaia, 29, returns to these shores for 2012 after spending time at Leigh Centurions earlier in his career, before making his break through in the NRL with New Zealand Warriors.

He had been complaining of a stiff neck following the recent defeat against Hull KR, and tests have highlighted a damaged disc, which could have ruled him out for a substantial part of the season.

However, following a period of rehab and analysis from specialist surgeons, Heremaia is expected to return to training within a month.

Head coach Peter Gentle said: “We are understandably disappointed to lose Aaron, but there is some positivity in the fact that we’ll only lose him for about a month. 

“Neck injuries of this nature can be troublesome and cause lengthy lay-offs, but like any injury involving the neck or spine it is important for us to treat it with caution and ensure he comes through unscathed and gets back to fitness. 

“It’s frustrating for Aaron because he doesn’t really recall how he sustained the injury, he had simply been complaining of a stiff neck, but these freak occurrences can happen in a contact sport like rugby league and we would rather take our time to get him back over the coming weeks than risk losing him for a longer period of time.”