NRL casualty ward Round 23: Weekend injury report

Latrell Mitchell’s late withdrawal burned more than half of SuperCoaches over the weekend. Here’s the lowdown.

The Storm could be without Will Chambers until the finals series after he was ruled out of Round 23 with an ankle injury. The injury occurred during training this week, and the initial prognosis is a 2-4 week stint on the sideline.

This is consistent with the usual recovery time of a minor ankle sprain, which comes with a fairly straightforward rehab process and minimal ongoing concerns once he returns.

Will Chambers is out for 2-4 weeks with an ankle injury.

Despite being ruled out after suffering a re-aggravation of a quadriceps injury, Sam Burgess is still expected to return next week. His injury is considered myofascial tightness rather than a true muscular strain.

The fascia is a thin layer of connective tissue that sits between the muscle and the skin, and whilst tightness here can be quite painful and restrictive the time required to return is greatly reduced when compared to a muscular strain. Burgess’ initial prognosis was a 5-10 day recovery period, which provided no setbacks with his rehab will have him fit in time for Round 24.

The injury list continues to grow for the Cronulla Sharks with Sosaia Feki (groin) and Jack Williams (ankle) both removed from the game early.

Sosaia Feki is struggling with a groin injury.

If Feki escapes with a minor groin strain this often results in players being considered “day to day” (usually a quick return to play), but unfortunately symptoms can easily linger. A partial tear (moderate grade muscle strain) could see him miss 3-6 weeks.

For Williams there was concern for a high ankle sprain (syndesmosis injury) as his left ankle was caught awkwardly in a twisting tackle. He attempted to play on with the ankle heavily strapped but was unable to continue.

The Sharks’ interchange forward is certainly in some doubt for the remainder of the regular season, with a minor grade sprain the only thing that will save him from missing some time during the finals series as well.

Latrell Mitchell was ruled out for the Roosters after suffering calf tightness at training during the week. The move sounded precautionary, with Mitchell very close to playing, but this is still a situation to watch as calf injuries can easily linger.

Thanfully even if Mitchell did suffer a low grade strain it would only cost him 1-2 weeks on the sideline, so there are no concerns for him missing finals games at this stage.

Latrell Mitchell’s calf injury is not considered serious.

Also for the Roosters, Boyd Cordner (calf/quad) completed a solid running session on Saturday and is a chance of returning in Round 24. Co-captain Jake Friend (forearm fracture) won’t return next week, but is hoping for Round 25/Finals week 1.

Rabbitohs interchange forward Tom Amone left the field on Friday night with an elbow injury that was initially thought to be a minor hyperextension. This can bring concern for a ligament injury, but usually does not require an extended recovery time (1-3 weeks).

Worth keeping an eye out for a potential elbow muscle/tendon injury in this case too with Amone appearing to be gripping during the tackle when he suffered the injury.

Both Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Bulldogs) and Scott Bolton (Cowboys) left the field briefly for their respective sides after suffering AC joint (tip of shoulder) sprains.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has a minor shoulder injury.

Thankfully this is a common injury that NRL players are able to continue playing with the assistance of pain killing medication and shoulder padding. Both players were able to return to the field, but this is an injury that can become more painful as the week progresses. If so either player could require a week or two away from contact to recover.

Cowboys playmaker Jake Clifford (ankle) was ruled out pre-game with an ankle injury. He is expected to be available next week.

Jake Clifford was a pre-game withdrawal.

JUDICIARY REPORT

South Sydney centre James Roberts won’t play before the NRL finals after being charged by the match review committee for his cheap shot on Brisbane’s Corey Oates.

Roberts was on Saturday hit with a dangerous contact head/neck charge for the ugly incident in the Rabbitohs’ spiteful win over the Broncos on Friday. The former Bronco can accept a two-game ban with an early guilty plea which would see him next available for the first week of the finals.

He risks an extra week if he elects to take his case to the judiciary. Roberts was sin-binned after hitting his former teammate with an elbow to the head as Oates lay face down on the ground (see video above).

Souths back-rower Jaydn Su’a will be free to play next week despite being charged with a grade one dangerous contact head/neck offence. Su’a was also sin-binned for hitting Alex Glenn with an elbow in a tackle and will be free to play with an early guilty plea.

Parramatta forward Nathan Brown (shoulder charge) is also out until the finals. He will be suspended for two weeks if he takes the early guilty plea, or three weeks if he fights the charge and loses.

Bulldogs winger Reimis Smith (striking) will miss one week if he takes the early guilty plea, or two weeks if he fights the charge an loses.

Joel Thompson (possible broken arm) and Moses Suli (ankle sprain) will both go for scans as Manly head towards the finals series. For Thompson there was significant concern he suffered a fractured radius (bone in the forearm) as he collected the elbow of a Raiders ball carrier in attempting to complete a tackle.

If this is confirmed he will be facing at least six weeks on the sideline, with a worst case of 10-12 weeks in cases of severe fracture.

Suli was much more of a mystery, going down in a seemingly innocuous tackle midway through the first half. The testing on the field performed by the trainer did suggest the initial concern was for a high ankle sprain, but an MRI will provide the true diagnosis and expected recovery time here.

Joel Thompson has suffered a suspected broken arm. Picture: Phil Hillyard

FULL NRL CASUALTY WARD

BRONCOS

Tom Dearden (Ankle, Season)

Tevita Pangai (Suspension, Finals week 3)

Jake Turpin (Suspension, Round 25)

Richie Kennar (Shoulder, Season)

Jack Bird (ACL, Season)

BULLDOGS

Reimis Smith (Facing suspension, TBC)

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Shoulder, Round 24)

Marcelo Montoya (Knee, Season)

Sauaso Sue (ACL, Season)

Christian Crichton (Ankle, Finals)

COWBOYS

Jake Clifford (Ankle, Round 24)

Matt Scott (Stroke, Season)

Josh McGuire (Suspension, Round 25)

Kurt Baptiste (ACL, Season)

Ben Hampton (Biceps, Season)

Justin O’Neill (Spleen, Indefinite)

Mitch Dunn (Shoulder, Season)

Te Marie Martin (Bleed on brain, Season)

DRAGONS

Tariq Sims (Groin, Season)

Jack de Belin (Stood down, Season)

Jordan Pereira (Neck/head, Indefinite)

EELS

Nathan Brown (Facing suspension, TBC)

Josh Hoffman (Shoulder, Indefinite)

Blake Ferguson (Infection, Round 24)

Kaysa Pritchard (Retired)

Ray Stone (Ankle, Round 24)

KNIGHTS

Connor Watson (Knee, Round 24)

Edrick Lee (Broken arm, Round 25)

Slade Griffin (Knee, Indefinite)

Nathan Ross (Foot, Retired)

PANTHERS

Tyrone May (Stood Down, Indefinite)

Tim Grant (Pectoral, Season)

Jack Hetherington (Sternum, Indefinite)

Caleb Aekins (Foot, Season)

Jed Cartwright (Shoulder, Season)

RABBITOHS

James Roberts (Facing suspension, TBC)

Tom Amone (Elbow, TBC)

Sam Burgess (Quad, Round 24)

Tom Burgess (Ankle, Round 25 - Finals week 2)

Braidon Burns (Hamstring, Finals week 2)

Alex Johnston (Knee, Round 24)

George Burgess (Suspension, Finals)

Greg Inglis (Shoulder, Retired)

RAIDERS

Joe Tapine (Ribs, Finals week 1)

Brad Abbey (Knee, Season)

ROOSTERS

Latrell Mitchell (Calf, Round 24)

Boyd Cordner (Calf/quad, Round 24)

Jake Friend (Fractured forearm, Round 25)

SHARKS

Sosaia Feki (Groin, TBC)

Jack Williams (Ankle, TBC)

Matt Moylan (Hamstring, Round 25)

SEA EAGLES

Joel Thompson(Possible broken arm, TBC)

Moses Suli(Ankle, TBC)

Brad Parker (Knee, Round 24)

Curtis Sironen (Hamstring, Round 24)

Toafofoa Sipley (Knee, Round 24)

Albert Hopoate (ACL, Season)

STORM

Will Chambers (Ankle, Finals week 1 - Finals week 3)

Christian Welch (ACL, Season)

Albert Vete (Shoulder, Indefinite)

TIGERS

Jacob Liddle (ACL, Season)

Josh Aloiai (Hand, Indefinite)

Moses Mbye (Hip, Round 24)

Robbie Farah (Knee, Indefinite)

Mahe Fonua (Foot, Indefinite)

Ben Matulino (Knee, Indefinite)

TITANS

Keegan Hipgrave (Concussion, Season)

Shannon Boyd (Shoulder, Season)

Dale Copley (Hamstring, Indefinite)

Ryan James (ACL, Season)

WARRIORS

Gerard Beale (Patella, Season)

Karl Lawton (Shoulder, Round 24)

Nathaniel Roache (ACL, Season)

Tohu Harris (Knee, Season)