NRL casualty ward 2022: Full wrap of injuries and suspensions
Injuries have hit hard on the final week of NRL trials with a number of key players racing the clock or already ruled out of round one.
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NRL Physio and our rugby league writers wrap the full pre-season of injuries.
Scroll down to see how every club is shaping up prior to the start of the 2022 season
HOLBROOK BACKS BRIMSON, UNSURE OF BENCH ROTATION
- Travis Meyn
Titans coach Justin Holbrook is confident Origin star AJ Brimson will be fit to make his highly-anticipated switch to five-eighth in the Gold Coast’s NRL season-opener against Parramatta.
Brimson has been struck down by a nagging groin injury a week out from the Titans’ 2022 season launch against the red-hot Eels at Commbank Stadium.
It is an untimely injury for Brimson, who is yet to make a playing appearance this year after making a pre-season switch from fullback to five-eighth.
The Maroons utility was rested from the Gold Coast’s first trial against the Broncos and was set to start at No. 6 against the Warriors before the match was abandoned due to Queensland’s flooding crisis.
That means the Titans’ new-look halves pairing of rookie halfback Toby Sexton and former fullback Brimson have not been road-tested before the season proper begins next week.
Sexton and Brimson have lost more training time with the latter’s groin problem this week, but Holbrook is confident Brimson is ready to fire after vacating his favoured No. 1 jersey for Jayden Campbell.
“He’s handled it really well, we’re confident in the way he’s trained this pre-season,” he said.
“He has already played there coming through (the grades) and is so good defensively. He is strong and hits hard. He likes being in the front line of your defence.
“That’s always an exciting benefit. We know most halves aren’t the best defenders on the field, but AJ is really good and prides himself on that.
“He is getting more say with the ball as well. I really like those factors.
“We can free up ‘JC’ (Campbell) to roam around and get his hands on the ball.”
The Warriors trial was set to determine the make-up of Holbrook’s final 17 for the Eels opener.
Instead, he will spend the weekend pondering who makes his first team of the season given he has a full complement of players to choose from.
Veteran backrower Kevin Proctor could miss out on a Round 1 jersey while Tanah Boyd and former Eel Will Smith are locked in a duel for the bench utility role.
Holbrook must also settle on a forwards rotation, with Jarrod Wallace, Sam Lisone, Herman Ese’ese and Jaimin Jolliffe fighting for spots on the bench.
“That second trial would have helped a few guys out,” Holbrook said.
“We will sit down and pick a team so we know on Monday who we’ll run with.
“It’s mainly the bench spots. I’ve been really happy with the middles so it’s hard to split them.
“We’ve got a number of guys, probably nine guys, trying to get four spots on the bench.
“Everyone wants to play round one, that’s the reason you spend the whole pre-season. But we’re going to need them all during the year.
“They’ve all really done so well. Herman, Sam Lisone, Jimmy Jolliffe, Jarrod Wallace, all our middles.
“That’s hard when you don’t get many opportunities. Some of them didn’t even play a trial.”
In other injury news, boom centre Jojo Fifita suffered an ankle injury at training this week and will be on restricted duties in weeks to come.
RAIDERS LOSE STAR RECRUIT
—Brent Read & David Riccio
Prized Canberra recruit Jamal Fogarty is set to miss four months in a savage blow to the Raiders on the even of the 2022 season.
Fogarty, signed from the Gold Coast to wear the Raiders’ No.7 jersey, damaged his knee in the club’s final trial against Manly last weekend.
Canberra released a statement saying the injury would most likely require surgery and have a recovery time of four months.
Coach Ricky Stuart now faces a choice between Matt Frawley, Sam Williams and Brad Schneider to start the season alongside Jack Wighton.
Frawley and Williams were among a group of Raiders players who were affected by Covid, but returned to training this week.
Fogarty is the second major knee injury suffered by a Canberra player in the preseason - Harley Smith-Shields will miss the season after damaging his acl.
Sharks backrow stocks hammered
Cronulla will start the NRL season without their captain Wade Graham, who is set to be sidelined for up to six weeks.
Graham is booked for “tightrope” surgery after scans revealed he suffered a high grade syndesmosis ankle sprain during the Sharks trial match victory over the Bulldogs last Monday.
It’s anticipated that Graham will need at least four weeks of recovery and rehabilitation before being considered for selection.
Talented backrower Teig Wilton is the man most likely to replace Graham on the Sharks left-edge.
The unavailability of Graham is a blow for Craig Fitzgibbon in his first season of NRL coaching with mounting injuries to his forward pack ahead of a round one clash with Canberra.
Graham’s omission comes on the back of marquee-buy Cam McInnes needing minor clean-out surgery of his knee last week that will see him miss at least the first two rounds of the new season.
Meanwhile, hard-running forward Jack Williams has also undergone a similar procedure to McInnes on his knee.
Williams is also likely to miss at least the opening two rounds.
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Storm’s playmaker crisis
Melbourne are facing a round one playmaker crisis, with scans revealing back-up five-eighth Cooper Johns will miss between four to six weeks with a shoulder injury.
Johns was in line to claim the Storm’s No.6 jersey for their opening round clash against Wests Tigers, replacing the suspended Cameron Munster.
However Johns failed to finish the Storm’s 24-10 trial win over Newcastle, suffering a grade three AC joint injury that looks set to sideline him for the first month of the NRL season.
That leaves coach Craig Bellamy with a major playmaking headache, leaving Jayden Nikorima and Kenny Bromwich as potential options to slot in alongside halfback Jahrome Hughes - while fullback Nick Meaney shapes as another option, should be not be required to fill Ryan Papenhuyzen's spot at the back.
Huge blow for Tigers
Luckless Wests Tigers hooker Jacob Liddle will miss the start of the season with a knee injury expected to sideline him for at least the first month of the season.
Scans revealed Liddle has a posterior cruciate ligament which is expected to keep him out of action for up to six weeks.
He injured his knee during the Tigers trial last Friday.
That leaves Jake Simpkin as the likely option to start at hooker.
Trbojevic out for up to one month
The youngest of the Trbojevic brothers is set to miss the start of the NRL season after suffering a knee injury in the club’s final trial.
Ben Trbojevic was pushing to win a place on the interchange bench for the Sea Eagles’ round one game against Penrith, but coach Des Hasler confirmed he would be out of action for up to a month.
His absence, along with that of utility Dylan Walker (knee), could create a space for young flyer Tolo Koula to win a place in the squad for the opening round, with Morgan Harper expected to reclaim his place in the centres after being rested for the weekend trial against Canberra.
The Sea Eagles are facing a back row crisis heading into the game against the defending premiers. Aside from Trbojevic, Josh Schuster (leg) and Haumole Olakau’atu (arm) have already been scratched after injuring themselves in the pre-season.
Walker is also set to miss round one with a knee injury. Koula is only a teenager but has impressed in the pre-season with his speed and strength.
Suspension loophole clears Smith for round 1
Melbourne forward Brandon Smith will join the Sydney Roosters next season, but he now owes a debt of gratitude to their bitter rivals, South Sydney and Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell.
So do the Storm after Smith was cleared to play in round one, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo informing Melbourne late on Monday night that their star hooker would be retrospectively allowed to serve a one-game ban in the All Stars game.
It means Smith will be free to pull on the Storm jersey in their premiership opener, when they bid to keep one of the game’s most remarkable streaks alive against the Wests Tigers.
The last time Melbourne lost a round one game under coach Craig Bellamy was in 2001. Warriors fullback Reece Walsh will also be allowed to use the All Stars game as part of the suspension he received late last year after being caught with cocaine on the Gold Coast.
McInnes thwarted at the last hurdle
Just as Cameron McInnes could see the rehab finish line after a long 12 months since rupturing his ACL he has been thwarted at the last hurdle after requiring minor knee surgery. The meniscus issue that he required a “clean up” on is in the same knee he required an ACL reconstruction, and will set his return back at least a month.
This isn’t a major concern in the short term, with most minor meniscus surgeries having quick recoveries and good short term outcomes within the NRL. But removing more of the cartilage or “shock absorber” in the knee, which will have already had secondary damage associated with the ACL injury, does leave the Sharks hooker at increased risk of early onset osteoarthritis later in his career.
This is likely something he will need to manage, like James Tedesco or Jarrod Croker, in the coming years.
The expectation was already that McInnes would be eased back to a full workload coming off 12 months out of the game, but that is only amplified now by a further month in rehab. It would be very surprising to see peak performance from McInnes immediately on his return in Round 3-4.
Dunster fire
Speaking of multi-ligament knee injuries a truly traumatic incident ended the season of Haze Dunster in last weekend’s trial match between the Eels and the Dragons. A tackle that has now seen Tyrell Fuimaono suspended for five weeks resulted in a torn ACL, PCL and MCL for the Eels winger who now won’t play until 2023.
Multi-ligament knee injuries require a more complex rehab process with instability in multiple directions. The return to play time extends out to 9-12 months, and whilst Dunster would still be expected to be fit for Round 1 2023 it will likely be even longer until he’s back to his best. Particularly with outside backs they often don’t return to peak performance until their second season back from an ACL reconstruction.
Papenhuyzen in doubt for opener
Craig Bellamy (on Ryan Papenhuyzen) – “We’re not quite sure if Paps will be back for the first game.”
Papenhuyzen suffered a lateral ankle sprain four weeks ago after stepping on a teammate’s boot at training, and the KFC SuperCoach world was thrown into panic when he was pictured in a moon boot.
Thankfully this injury type is relatively minor in nature, with most players returning within 2-3 weeks during the season with the aid of injections and heavy strapping.
Being the preseason, it is not surprising the Storm are taking their time with his recovery, but I would still be very surprised if he is not fit for selection in Round 1. This would be seven weeks post injury, which is plenty of time to return to play barring re-injury or further damage that has been unreported.
Double Bronco blow
Brisbane’s preparations for their premiership opener have suffered another setback with $2.4 million halfback recruit Adam Reynolds set to be ruled out of this Saturday night’s final trial against the Cowboys in Mackay.
Reynolds faces being scratched for the second consecutive week due to “general soreness” that will see the champion playmaker rested to ensure his fitness for Brisbane’s round one clash against Souths on March 11.
The Broncos were also hit with a training injury this week after Tesi Niu suffered a grade two hamstring strain. This would usually require a 4-6 week recovery period which is what the Broncos are expecting at this stage. The high re-injury rate (up to 30%) is the most notable factor of this injury, with Niu aiming to return from Round 3 onwards.
Covid warning
As if KFC SuperCoach players didn’t have enough to contend with, the reality of season 2022 hit before the first trial when Sam Williams was ruled out after returning a positive rapid antigen test.
His halves partner Matt Frawley was also a late scratching due to being a close contact as Frawley’s roommate, leaving Charnze Nicoll-Klokstaad and Brad Schneider to fill in. I bring this up as a warning for the season ahead, as these late scratchings are a scenario NRL teams and SuperCoaches alike will be faced with more than ever before. Squad depth will be key across the board.
ACL’s rock Raiders, Tigers
Outside of the All Stars game the NRL offseason has been littered with injury news. The biggest hits came in the past two weeks, with both Harley Smith-Shields (Raiders) and Shawn Blore (Tigers) suffering ACL injuries at training that have ended their 2022 seasons. They face ACL reconstruction surgery and lengthy (6+ months) rehab processes.
The silver lining is with 13 months until the 2023 season kicks off both players will not only be fit but more likely to return at a high performance level.
Brailey hit for six
The other significant training injury to occur in 2022 was Jayden Brailey and his Achilles rupture. In a devastating blow to the Knights’ hopes for 2023 their starting hooker and captain felt the always worrisome “pop” in the back of his heel during a non-contact drill in January, undergoing repair surgery shortly after.
Since 2014 the NRL average return to play time from an Achilles rupture has been 6.5 months, which would theoretically put Brailey on track for an early August return. But if we dive deeper and take like for like players Brailey’s outlook for an early return improves further.
Karl Lawton ruptured his achilles in mid-December 2020, exactly a month earlier in the preseason than Brailey. Lawton was able to return for Manly in Round 11 of 2021 (five months post surgery), and whilst he took a few games to build his match fitness he performed extremely well from his return game. If we look to the Knights themselves, they have seen Connor Watson (seven months) and Jirah Momoisea (six months) through the same Achilles repair rehab process in the past two years. Whilst a seven
month return for Watson may concern Knights fans, this time frame was the earliest he could possibly return in a trial match leading into the 2021 season.
The return range for Brailey is likely somewhere between Round 15-20, and with his work ethic I wouldn’t be shocked if he gets close to a new return to play record. In a further silver lining the re-injury risk is low too, with evidence just 3-6% of athletes will re-rupture their Achilles after undergoing surgical repair.
Ankle woes for Schuster
Josh Schuster is also looking at starting the season on the sidelines after suffering a syndesmosis injury at training. Seen in a moon boot, it’s reported he could miss up to the first six regular season games of 2022. While the severity is yet to be clarified he’s unlikely to be missing the full 6 weeks. NRL players consistently come back from high grade syndesmosis injuries that require surgery in 6-8 weeks, which would put Schuster’s likely return date at Rounds 3-5. If it’s not a high grade injury he will be back even sooner.
Ongoing issues for Teddy
In ongoing injury news over the offseason, likely the highest profile story was news that James Tedesco had a stem cell procedure late last year to address ongoing issues in his knee. The Roosters fullback is dealing with meniscus/cartilage degeneration, with a history of ACL rupture, patellar fracture, and MCL sprain in this knee which has no doubt contributed to the degeneration he is currently dealing with. He last required a similar treatment with stem cells four years ago, and this treatment is used to try and decrease any ongoing soreness/restriction caused by the cartilage “wear and tear”. This time around he required 10-12 weeks relatively off his feet post surgery before resuming running in mid-January.
Thankfully for Tedesco the degree of degeneration and dysfunction in his knee does not appear advanced. He was still performing well last season, and was only hampered by some minor soreness as the season wore on. 10-12 weeks is a long time to be in restricted training, but stem cells don’t involve any major surgery/scar tissue/tissue repair or reconstruction so the return to performance coming off this rehab is usually very quick. He is in no doubt for Round 1 at this stage.
Rooster boosters
Sticking at the Roosters, their devastating injury toll from last season is extending into 2023 with Luke Keary not yet back in full contact training after an ACL reconstruction plus ankle spur removal surgery and Joseph Suaalii is no guarantee to be available for Round 1 as he continues his rehab from a Lisfranc injury.
Despite the bump in the road, requiring minor ankle surgery late last year, Keary is still on track to return in Round 1, 11 months after undergoing an ACL reconstruction. It is common for players to not be back to their best early in the first season back from such a significant surgery and rehab process, and the addition of further surgery just further decreases the likelihood that Keary will be at the peak of his powers in the opening rounds of the season.
A Lisfranc injury is often called “the ACL injury of the foot”, with an often lengthy and challenging rehab process with players rarely at their best even when returning to the field. Suaalii hadn’t commenced field running in December, and this latest report acknowledging uncertainty around his Round 1 availability isn’t surprising. Lisfranc injuries are tough to rehab from, so it’s no surprise the Roosters are taking their time with returning him to the intensity of NRL football. There’s still some chance he’s fit and available for Round 1 but it’s going to be tough for him to light it up on the field in his first 3-4 games back.
FULL CASUALTY WARD
Broncos
Tesi Niu (Hamstring, Round 3)
Adam Reynolds (Soreness, Round 1)
Brendan Piakura (Suspension, Round 2)
Thomas Flegler (Suspension, Round 4)
Xavier Willison (Knee, mid-season)
Bulldogs
Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Foot, Round 1)
Matt Doorey (Knee, mid-season)
Cowboys
Ben Hampton (Hamstring, Round 1)
Jason Taumalolo (Hamstring, Round 1)
Dragons
Billy Burns (Foot, Round 1)
Josh McGuire (Suspension, Round 6)
Moses Mbye (Quad, Round 1)
Tariq Sims (Calf, Round 1)
Jayden Sullivan (Hamstring, Round 2)
Tyrell Fuimaono (Suspension, Round 6)
Max Feagai (Ankle, Round 11)
Eels
Nathan Brown (Ankle, Round 1)
Marata Niukore (Suspension, Round 2)
Maika Sivo (ACL, mid-season)
Haze Dunster (Knee, Season)
Knights
Edrick Lee (Foot, Round 1)
Sauaso Sue (Suspension, Round 3)
Jayden Brailey (Achilles, Indefinite)
Bailey Hodgson (Elbow, Round 4)
Hymel Hunt (Knee, Round 4)
Panthers
Nathan Cleary (Shoulder, Round 1)
Preston Riki (Hip, mid-season)
Rabbitohs
Cameron Murray (Shoulder, Round 1)
Isaiah Tass (Back, Round 1)
Latrell Mitchell (Suspension, Round 2)
Raiders
Peter Hola (Knee, Round 2)
Jordan Rapana (Suspension, Round 3)
Harley Smith-Shields (ACL, Season)
Matt Frawley (Covid, Round 1)
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Covid, Round 1)
Jamal Fogarty (Knee, Round 15-17)
Roosters
Luke Keary (Foot, Round 1)
Sam Verrills (Suspension, Round 2)
Joseph Suaalii (Foot, Round 1)
Sea Eagles
Josh Schuster (Ankle, Round 6)
Martin Taupau (Back, Round 1)
Haumole Olakau’atu (Elbow, Round 2)
Josh Aloiai (Suspension, Round 4)
Sharks
Franklin Pele (Suspension, Round 2)
Braydon Trindall (Suspension, Round 3)
Cameron McInnes (Knee, Round 3)
Jack Williams (Knee, Round 3)
Wade Graham (Ankle, Round 4-6)
Storm
Cooper Johns (Shoulder, Round 4-6)
Ryan Papenhuyzen (Ankle, Round 1)
Harry Grant (Suspension, Round 2)
Cameron Munster (Suspension, Round 2)
Chris Lewis (Suspension, Round 2)
Tui Kamikamica (Stood down, Indefinite)
Tigers
Shawn Blore (ACL, Season)
Adam Doueihi (Knee, Mid-season)
Tommy Talau (Knee, Mid-season)
Asu Kepaoa (Pectoral, Mid-season)
Jacob Liddle (Knee, Round 4-6)
James Tamou (Suspended, Round 2)
Luke Garner (Knee, Round 1)
Titans
Aaron Booth (Knee, Round 1)
Joseph Vuna (ACL, Season)
Warriors
Reece Walsh (Suspension, Round 2)
Tohu Harris (Knee, Round 8)
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