NRL injuries: Maika Sivo out for season, Blake Ferguson faces nervous wait, Munster eyes preliminary final

Parramatta will make a late call on Blake Ferguson after he injured his knee against Storm, but Immortal Mal Meninga has questioned whether the club can trust the winger anymore.

Paul Crawley and Robert Craddock

4 min read

October 5, 2020 - 2:17PM

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 03: Blake Ferguson of the Eels reacts after injuring his knee during the NRL Qualifying Final match between the Melbourne Storm and the Parramatta Eels at Suncorp Stadium on October 03, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

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Blake Ferguson is still considered a 50/50 chance of playing this weekend with a final decision on the big Parramatta winger not likely until after Wednesday night’s training session.

Brad Arthur has placed George Jennings and Brad Takairangi on standby for this weekend’s elimination semi final against South Sydney as Arthur weighs up options for a significant backline reshuffle.

The club said on Monday that Ferguson’s scans have determined an “aggravation” of an ongoing knee issue that he has been managing throughout the season.

“At this stage he is still a chance for Saturday with a decision to be made later in the week,” a club spokesman said.

Jennings is expected to come straight into the starting team to replace Maika Sivo whose season is said to be over with a grade two MCL injury.

If Ferguson gets ruled out, it most likely would force Arthur to shift Waqa Blake onto the wing and play Takairangi in the centres.

It comes as the Eels also face the prospect of losing Marata Niukore. to a grade one crusher tackle charge.

Niukore is facing a two match ban if he pleads not guilty or three games if he goes to the judiciary and loses for his tackle on Storm giant Tino Faasuamaleaui.

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Blake Ferguson of the Eels reacts after injuring his knee. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

It comes in the wake of Saturday night’s 36-24 defeat to Melbourne where the Parramatta’s right edge defence was badly exposed.

Now they have to take on a red-hot Souths side that tore Newcastle apart in a 46-20 demolition that was inspired by the brilliant combination between halves Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker, along with a super dummy half performance from a rejuvenated Damien Cook.

Melbourne’s left edge of Kenny Bromwich, Justin Olam and Josh Addo-Carr tore the Eels apart, with Blake responsible for three missed tackles, Mitchell Moses six and Ryan Matterson three.

Blake’s performance in particular came under the microscope.

Immortal Mal Meninga even questioned if Arthur should make the tough call on Blake’s role going forward.

“Do you make your decision on whether this is do or die next week?” Meninga asked on Fox League.

“Or do you make the decision on how well he attacks or defends. Those tough decisions come into play.

“If he keeps defending the way he is, there’s not much trust. It’s going to hurt the Eels, but do you make the decision to replace him and put someone in there they can trust.

“You’ve got to do it together, you can’t get in front or behind. It’s about being together and if Waqa Blake Ferguson doesn’t trust what Blake’s doing he comes in off the line.”

Michael Ennis was equally alarmed.

“It must by systematic, because he (Blake) flipped to left and he was still coming out of the line,” Ennis told Fox League.

“There’s got to be some hard discussions about how they do that.

“Waqa Blake has just got to get up, take the space and hold instead of turning his shoulders in and leaving his winger exposed on the outside all the time.

“There’s a big amount of ground that Clint Gutherson has to cover for that jamming defence. I think where it needs to improve to give Waqa Blake confidence is one the communication, but certainly the connection between Matterson and Moses.

“That’s where they are so vulnerable that Blake with the breakdown in communication is making rash decisions. That right edge needs to get their house in order or the Knights or Rabbitohs will rip them to shreds next week.”

STORM DROP HUGE MUNSTER UPDATE

The Melbourne Storm and Queensland can rest easy — Cameron Munster looks set to finish the season.

Munster threw a major scare into the Storm’s premiership campaign when he went off following a knee clash late in Melbourne’s 36-24 win over the Eels in Saturday night’s qualifying final.

Munster winced in pain when he felt his knee buckle and promised to do whatever it took to be part of the Storm’s preliminary final in a fortnight.

But he was feeling much better on Sunday morning with his improvement enough to convince the Storm’s medical men to hold off sending him for scans which now may not be required.

“He has seen the physio this morning and they are not sure whether he will need scans,’’ Storm football manage Frank Ponissi said.

“He has just tweaked on old injury and they will see how it goes in the next 24 hours.

“The medical staff are quite confident there is no new damage. He is a lot better this morning and if that improvement continues by tomorrow they won’t scan it.

“They are very confident he is going to be available for Friday week.’’

With Queensland set to field an inexperienced team for the three-match State of Origin series in November, Munster’s class and battle-hardened temperament is seen as one of the Maroons’ key assets.

Cameron Munster of the Storm has his knee strapped during the NRL Qualifying Final match between the Melbourne Storm and the Parramatta Eels.

“I’m optimistic and that’s all you can be,” Munster said.

“It’s still a little bit sore and is a little bit bruised but I will ice it, rehab it, do the stuff I need to strengthen up my knee and hopefully I can stay on the park for more than one week.”

“I felt like the team didn’t really need me to be out there, we had Nicho Hynes on the bench ... I didn’t want to be out there for 12 more minutes and do more damage.”