Casualty Ward: Freddy Lussick suspended for Lachlan Ilias tackle, Dom Young charged for high shot, Bulldogs’ injury crisis

Freddy Lussick has been handed a suspension for the brutal tackle that left Lachlan Ilias with a badly broken leg. FULL INJURY AND SUSPENSION NEWS.

Warriors hooker Freddy Lussick has been suspended for four games after breaking the leg of South Sydney halfback Lachlan Ilias in a NSW Cup game last weekend.

The NSWRL judiciary panel met on Wednesday night and imposed the hefty ban.

Lussick was sent off after attempting to charge down an Ilias kick late in the game.

Ilias was playing his third NSW Cup after being dropped for South Sydney’s NRL side.

He will be sidelined for the majority of this season.

“No surprise it’s a fracture. I’m sure I heard the snap from 20 metres away,” commentator Greg Alexander told Fox League.

“It looks like it was Freddy Lussick’s knee that made contact with Lachie Ilias’ leg and broke it.

“We don’t want to put a time frame on his return, but a broken leg is six-plus weeks easy.”

Ilias was helped from the field by a teammate.

It was initially predicted Lussick may receive a six-week suspension.

Zac Laybutt will miss the remainder of the season.

Cowboys’ worst fears confirmed

Cowboys have confirmed the worst fears for centre Zac Laybutt with scans finding he suffered a torn ACL out of Sunday’s win over the Gold Coast.

The 21-year-old will miss the rest of the NRL season and is set to undergo surgery after being helped from the field in Townsville.

It’s a huge blow for the Cowboys, but also the rising young star who has scored three tries in four games this season after forcing his way into a starting spot in round 1.

“Devastating news for the kid,” said coach Todd Payten on Sunday.

“He put in a really good pre-season, got himself super fit and did some really good things for us in the first five weeks.”

It’s yet another long-term injury for the Cowboys too, with Laybutt joining Coen Hess (ACL), Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (Achilles) and Helium Luki (ankle) in the club’s casualty ward.

Ilias’ snapped tibia a hammer blow for Souths

Earlier, scans revealed Ilias had suffered a badly broken leg, an injury that could be season-ending.

The Rabbitohs halfback underwent scans inside Accor Stadium after being felled in a shockingly dangerous charge-down tackle from Lussick.

The scans showed that Ilias had snapped his tibia, a recovery time that sits between four to six months.

Believed to be devastated by the injury, the best case scenario is that Ilias can return by August.

Playing reserve grade for the third week in a row, Ilias was putting in a kick near midfield on what would have been the last play of the game when Lussick rushed out of the line to charge it down, but caught the halfback instead.

Lachlan Ilias was hit while kicking during the Rabbitohs' NSW Cup game against the Warriors. Credit: NRL Photos

Ilias was writhing in pain with players from both teams coming together which saw Moala Graham-Taufa of the Warriors sent to the sin bin for throwing a punch.

The South Sydney halfback was helped from the ground by a teammate and a member of the club’s medical staff, with Ilias leaving the field on crutches with his right foot elevated.

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou went up the tunnel with Ilias who scored the try that put the Bunnies up 26-20 as they held on to beat the Warriors at Accor Stadium, but he now faces a nervous wait to see how long he’ll be out.

“I think they’re talking about a tibia fracture, so he’ll obviously have to get scans and we’ll know more about it,” Demetriou said, with Dean Hawkins set to be the club’s long-term halfback.

“It was pretty sad to see.

“I didn’t see the tackle. I was in the change rooms and I’d heard that Lachie had hurt himself so I came out to make sure and to see that he’s all right first and foremost.

“From what I heard, it was ordinary, but I didn’t see it. I’m sure the match review committee will look at it in NSW Cup.”

Warriors coach Andrew Webster also missed the incident and said it was unfortunate that accidents happen on the field.

“The only period I saw was that there were 20 seconds to go so I thought someone was going to have to charge this ball down, otherwise we can’t win the game,” he said.

“That’s when I got up to turn, but the next thing I saw, they were on the ground so I can’t really comment.

“I’ve heard that Freddy was trying to charge the football down, but I’m not across the situation.

“With 20 seconds to go, that’s probably going to have to be your mindset otherwise you’re not going to win the game.”

Dogs injury crisis could force fullback changes

-David Riccio

Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo will be forced to overhaul his side to tackle in-form Melbourne due to a worrying injury crisis.

Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton could headline the changes with the champion centre the frontrunner to cover the loss of speedy fullback Blake Taaffe (concussion).

Also set to be sidelined for next Thursday night’s clash against the Storm is Canterbury winger Connor Tracey (calf) and utility Kurt Mann (hand fracture).

Tracey was awaiting the results of scans on his calf on Saturday, while Mann is facing between three to four weeks out.

Also in doubt are forwards Chris Patolo (neck pain) and Harrison Edwards (neck pain).

Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton could move to fullback. Picture: News Corp

NSW Cup forward Bailey Hayward was withdrawn from the Bulldogs clash with the Roosters on Saturday afternoon as a potential option in the Dogs pack against the Storm.

In more promising news, Dogs officials are confident outstanding backrower Viliame Kikau will be cleared of any serious damage related to a leg complaint.

Max King will also push to play against the Storm despite suffering a wrist injury.

Ciraldo will also have wingers Josh Addo-Carr (concussion) and Blake Wilson (virus) available for selection.

Roosters suffer triple blow after Young charge

-David Riccio, Michael Carayannis

Roosters winger Dominic Young is set to join captain James Tedesco and halfback Sam Walker on the sidelines after being charged for his high shot on Bulldogs fullback Blake Taaffe.

Young was sent-off in the 26th minute for collecting Taaffe high and has subsequently been met with a grade three careless contact charge by the MRC.

Dom Young was sent off for a high tackle. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Young will miss two weeks with an early guilty plea or three weeks if he is unsuccessful at the judiciary.

The suspension will rob Young of a clash with his former club Newcastle next Thursday night.

Tedesco and Walker were ruled out of the match due to head knocks and will be stood down under HIA protocols from the Knights match.

Roosters lock Victor Radley has escaped any charge for an alleged hip drop that saw him sin binned for a tackle on Stephen Crichton.