LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Isabelle Kelly has established herself as one of the premier players in the NRLW, but her swift comeback from a recent jaw injury showcases her resilience and toughness.
The Roosters' captain faced a precarious situation just over two weeks ago when an accidental elbow from Fran Goldthorp struck her face during a dominant 30-0 victory over North Queensland.
Although scans confirmed she did not have a broken jaw, the oral fracture she sustained was significant.
"It's hard to explain, but basically my teeth got pushed back and sat on the bones and that's what fractured," Kelly detailed. "Everyone saw that, because they got pushed so far back in my mouth, but they got pushed back in."
She added, "I have a splint on my teeth that they put on when I landed back from Townsville. It wasn't too sore, but mentally an injury like that can have an effect and make you feel low."
Initially, Kelly was expected to return for the Roosters' first finals match, set for next week against the winner of Saturday's elimination clash between the Cowboys and Cronulla. With her team already guaranteed a home final, she could have chosen to rest. However, she opted to return after only one match out, playing in the regular season's final against the Sharks.