If anyone else on this forum has additional suggestions please let me know.

You can figure out how the latch works on the Werner with a good light. It engages the inside of the male end of the ferrule. It's not at all like the much simpler metal button inside the shaft that's more common on other paddles.

IMO, you have very little chance of repairing the split with the paddle assembled - greased or not - and counting on being able to separate it later. There are just too many ways to make a permanent bond with the smallest amount of leaked epoxy.

You could try to do a very delicate repair - just enough epoxy to hold the split together, and then reinforce it later. However, the least amount of looseness will be aggravating when paddling - I've started to notice the normal wear of some years on my Werner.

My recommendation is to make it into a one-piece paddle - a lot of hard core paddlers prefer one piece paddles, so you will be in good company. :-)

IMO, forget about the 'Greenland' paddle recommendations. 90% of the folks I see using Greenland sticks are arm paddlers who like the Greenland because it's 'easier on the shoulders'. If you have good stroke technique, you'll do better with an appropriate standard paddle, or a wing. Just ask yourself: "What does Freya use?" :-)

BTW, I've done a bunch of paddle repairs, shortened glass and carbon paddles, made a few (wood) Greenland paddles and own two very nice carbon Greenland paddles, so I do try to widen my perspective!