NRL 2021 Casualty Ward Round 1: Roosters hooker depth tested

The Roosters may be forced to rush Sam Verrills back early, with a double injury blow to test their hooking depth.

The Roosters hooking stocks took a significant hit this week with both Jake Friend and Adam Keighran unable to finish the game against the Sea Eagles.

Friend came off second best in a collision with Andrew Davey, getting his head in the wrong position and being removed for a HIA. While most players are able to pass through the NRL’s concussion protocol to play the next week any injury to the brain is concerning, and particularly in this case considering Friend’s recent concussion history. This is his third concussion in the past 6 months after twice failing a game day HIA in August and September of last year.

If a player suffers two concussions within the same season they are not to return to play until they have been assessed by an independent neurologist. While Friend has not technically suffered two concussions within the same season, it would not be surprising to hear he will undergo extra assessment outside of the regular protocols this week after three concussions in such a short period of time.

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Jake Friend may have suffered his third concussion in the past 6 months and could be out for some time. Picture: Getty Images.

A return to play time for Friend isn’t easily predicted at this stage, with a wide range of possibilities on the table. He may pass all testing and return in the next 1-2 weeks, or the Roosters may opt to sit him for an extended period like they have with multiple players (Luke Keary, Boyd Cordner) in the past.

Utility Keighran was off to hospital after the game with a suspected dislocated wrist. If this is confirmed he would be looking at a best case 4-6 week recovery, and that’s if he somehow avoids any fractures or significant ligament damage. If there is a fracture present or the joint is unstable enough that surgery is required this recovery timeline can push out to 2-3 months. The Roosters will be hoping Sam Verrills can return in the next week or two as he nears the end of rehab from an ACL reconstruction.

Xavier Coates has been cleared of serious injury after landing awkwardly on his head/neck. Picture: Getty Images.

It looked like it was going from bad to worse for the Broncos as they left Suncorp Stadium with a loss, 2 players heading to hospital and another nursing a hamstring complaint.

Despite John Asiata and Xavier Coates leaving the ground with concerning neck/shoulder injuries after heavy blows to the head, the news from scans were positive with no structural damage for either player. Both had suffered brachial plexus injuries, which is a group of nerves that runs from the neck down into the arm. This is the area that causes trouble during burners or stingers, with either a stretch or pinch of these nerves often causing significant pain and neurological symptoms (weakness, numbness, pins and needles). Although the symptoms can be severe the recovery is usually quick, with most able to settle well within 5-10 days. That leaves both players a good chance of being fit for the Broncos Round 2 clash.

Moving forward Asiata is of more concern with the Broncos new recruit sporting a soft collar throughout the off-season due to persistent issues with burners. While he has avoided structural damage, the more burners a player suffers the more susceptible they are to further aggravations in the future. This means his threshold for injury to this area will be lower, and the symptoms he experiences are likely to be more severe.

It was also best case for Matt Lodge, whose hamstring complaint is considered minor in nature. It is tough for players to recover within 7 days even with the most minor of hamstring strains due to the high reinjury risk, so the usual return to play timeline is 2-4 weeks. The Broncos are hopeful their starting front rower will only miss a week or two.

The Broncos also lost John Asiata to injury, after he came off second best in a collision and fell to the ground in pain. Picture: Getty Images.

Burners were the new injury buzzword in week 1 with Thomas Burgess being stretchered from the field after a concerning incident towards the end of the Rabbitohs clash with the Storm. Thankfully like the Broncos pair the English forward was cleared of any structural damage by scans, and is considered a good chance to return next week.

Kurt Mann finished the Knights game in a knee brace after suffering a suspected MCL injury in an uncommon circumstance. Usually a blow to the outside of the knee with some inward collapse will stretch the MCL, causing injury and possible instability. Mann took a direct clash to his inner knee, where the MCL is located, and while this is more commonly associated with a contusion or bruising in this case some knee instability was present.

Tissue damage can occur from a blunt force and thankfully Mann came from the field before putting himself at risk of further injury with an unstable knee joint. He will go for scans, with a partial MCL tear usually resulting in 3-6 weeks recovery. If a complete tear has occurred the Knight utility won’t be seen on the field for at least 6-10 weeks, but thankfully surgery is rarely required in these cases.

Similar to Asiata, Tom Burgess was also taken to hospital with a burner. Picture: Getty Images.

The injuries didn’t stop there for Newcastle with Bradman Best limping off in the second half with a left ankle injury after strapping it up and attempting to play through almost 15 minutes earlier. He will also require scans but the mechanism of injury suggested a possible mild high ankle sprain, which would likely see him miss a week at best case.

While he was able to play on for several minutes after suffering the injury this isn’t always indicative of a minor sprain, with many recent NRL examples (e.g. Kieran Foran, Valentine Holmes) of players finishing the game on a syndesmosis injury that required surgery. Best has recent experience with syndesmosis repair surgery after spending 8 weeks on the sideline due to a right ankle injury late in 2020.

The Knights could be without five-eighth Kurt Mann for some time after suffering a suspected MCL injury. Picture: Getty Images.

Warriors coach Nathan Brown said Euan Aitken is in some doubt for their game next week after playing through an ankle sprain for much of the match.

It is a good sign that there was no clear traumatic mechanism of injury and he was able to finish the game, but scans will be needed to reveal the severity of the sprain and expected recovery time.

BRONCOS

Matt Lodge (hamstring, round 4-5)

John Asiata (shoulder/neck, round two)

Xavier Coates (shoulder/neck, round two)

Jesse Arthars (ankle, round two)

Payne Haas (suspended, round four)

Dale Copley (throat, round two)

Kotoni Staggs (knee, mid-season)

BULLDOGS

Jeremy Marshall-King (foot, round 2-3)

Jayden Okunbor (knee, mid-late season)

Christian Crichton (knee, season)

Luke Thompson (suspended, round five)

COWBOYS

Tom Gilbert (leg, round 2-4),

Kane Bradley (shoulder, round four)

DRAGONS

Cody Ramsey (ankle, TBC)

Jayden Sullivan (hamstring, round four)

Jack de Belin (stood down)

Cameron McInnes (ACL, season)

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EELS

Marata Niukore (suspended, round two)

Michael Oldfield (knee, round four)

Michael Jennings (suspended, indefinite)

Bryce Cartwright (broken jaw, round six)

KNIGHTS

Kurt Mann (knee, round 5-7)

Bradman Best (ankle, TBC)

Kalyn Ponga (shoulder, round 2-4),

Blake Green (knee, rounds 5-8)

Jirah Momoisea (Achilles, indefinite)

Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder, indefinite)

Edrick Lee (foot, round 2-4)

PANTHERS

No injuries

RABBITOHS

Tom Burgess (shoulder/neck, round two)

Liam Knight (concussion, round two)

Hame Sele (ribs, round 3-4)

Jed Cartwright (back, round 6-10)

Blake Taaffe (ankle, round 8)

Braidon Burns (knee, rounds 7-9)

Taane Milne (knee, rounds 7-9)

Brock Gardner (Achilles, indefinite)

RAIDERS

Jarrod Croker (shoulder, round 2-4)

ROOSTERS

Angus Crichton (suspended, round 3)

Jake Friend (concussion, TBC)

Adam Keighran (wrist, TBC)

Victor Radley (knee, round four)

Sam Verrills (knee, round 3-4)

Billy Smith (shoulder, mid-season)

Boyd Cordner (concussion, indefinite)

SEA EAGLES

Kieran Foran (cork, round two)

Haumole Olakau’atu (elbow, indefinite)

Tom Trbojevic (hamstring, round 4)

Jorge Taufua (Achilles, April)

Manase Fainu (stood down/shoulder)

SHARKS

Siosifa Talakai (shoulder, rounds 2-3)

Shaun Johnson (Achilles, round 7-8)

Royce Hunt (knee, round two)

Bronson Xerri (suspended, indefinite)

Jack A Williams (throat, indefinite)

STORM

Harry Grant (knee, round four)

Brenko Lee (hamstring, round two)

Dale Finucane (calf, round 5-8)

Max King (Achilles, round 10)

TITANS

Sam Mcintyre (foot, round 2)

WARRIORS

Euan Aitken (ankle, TBC)

Wayde Egan (concussion, TBC)

Bayley Sironen (concussion, TBC)

Karl Lawton (Achilles, late season)

WESTS TIGERS

Adam Doueihi (suspended, round two)

Zane Musgrove (suspended, round three)

Shawn Blore (wrist, round 6-8)

Billy Walters (knee, indefinite)