NRLW 2022: Parramatta Eel’s Therese Aiton avoids serious eye injury, Kennedy Cherrington

Therese Aiton’s shiner was one the most brutal images from round one of the NRLW, but teammate Kennedy Cherrington has given the rookie utility a clean bill of health.

Parramatta rookie Therese Aiton is expected to shake-off a shocking eye injury to line-up against St George Illawarra in Sunday’s NRLW triple header at WIN Stadium.

Teammate Kennedy Cherrington confirmed to The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday that scans had cleared the hooker of any serious injury, which was picked up in the Eels’ historic round one 13-12 win against Newcastle last weekend.

“She had a scan on Monday and thankfully she has no break, no fracture. Somehow it is just a soft tissue injury, just swelling. So she’s tough as nails that one, she made six or seven tackle after the hit before it completely closed-up,” Cherrington revealed at the KFC SuperCoach NRL launch.

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Parramatta Eels NRLW player Therese Aiton. NRL Imagery

While Aiton’s shiner left commentators almost lost for words, halfback Maddie Studdon’s clutch field goal to seal win for the Eels had everyone talking.

Studdon put aside a controversial no-try ruling Shirley Mailangi to slot the first ever NRLW one-pointer in the dying seconds, also handing the Eels their first ever win.

For Studdon, who has struggled with patchy form on the field and deep personal issues of it, the matchwinning play was a coming of age for the playmaker.

“I’m really proud of her. She has got to go through a lot of hardship and adversity with some personal stuff off the field,” Cherrington said.

“But when she kicked that goal, I think she just showed everyone the Maddie Studdon is back.

“It just goes to show when you’re in a good environment and looked after you can do anything.

“She has ice in her veins.”

Kennedy Cherrington embraces Parra field-goal kicker Maddie Studdon. NRL Imagery

While last weekend’s victory against the Knights has left the Eels side ‘buzzing’, Cherrington said her side’s focus has now switched to taking on the Dragons on Sunday.

“It was a massive day for the club, to get the job done in the last 24 seconds, to get the two points was a huge relief,” Cherrington said.

“As soon as we had a debrief after the game it was on to the next job. It was an awesome start but we have to build and hopefully we do that against the Dragons.

“It had been seven even eight months since some of the girls have played. Getting the cobwebs out is good. “I honestly can’t wait to the next game, I’m so sore but I don’t care.

“The buzz in the team is real great at the moment. But we’re not getting ahead of ourselves.”