NRL 2024: Dolphins star Jeremy Marshall-King cleared of season-ending injury
Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins have received a boost with scans clearing Jeremy Marshall-King of a season-ending injury.
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Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins have received a boost with scans clearing Jeremy Marshall-King of a season-ending injury.
Coach Bennett feared Marshall-King’s season was over but the classy hooker has been cleared of a Lisfranc ligament tear, which would have ended his 2024 campaign.
Marshall-King was injured in the Dolphins’ 26-6 loss to the Dragons last Sunday and scans confirmed fractures in the second and third metatarsals of his foot.
The Kiwi Test ace will undergo surgery and is set to miss eight to 10 weeks, giving the match-winning rake hope of being available should the Dolphins qualify for this year’s playoffs.
With a smooth recovery, Marshall-King could be back at the start of September.
“This is not the worst news we could have had,” said Dolphins’ head of performance Jeremy Hickmans.
“Jeremy will require surgery, but with no Lisfranc injury it appears he is well in the frame to play again this season.”
The Dolphins have the bye this weekend, with their next match against the Rabbitohs to be played at Kayo Stadium on Thursday, July 11.
The news on Marshall-King is a ray of hope for the Dolphins, who are already missing key forwards Tom Flegler (shoulder) and Tom Gilbert (ACL), while Jack Bostock (concussion) and Origin ace Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are not due back until round 19.
Marshall-King lasted just 22 minutes before his ankle was crushed in a tackle by Dragons forward Jack de Belin in the Dolphins’ loss to the Red V in Sydney on Sunday.
Marshall-King, who recently inked a three-year upgrade, has been a revelation since joining the Dolphins last year and a season-ending wipeout would have been a crippling blow for Bennett’s troops.
Bennett’s side has done remarkably well to remain competitive in the absence of Flegler and Gilbert, but the loss of Marshall-King for at least the next two months could still be costly for their finals hopes.
“It’s been tough,” Bennett said of their injury toll.
“Queensland would have loved Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert, we’ve had Flegler for three games and we haven’t had Tom at all, so no-one has missed them more than us.”
In the absence of Marshall-King, the Dolphins will turn to Max Plath, the son of Broncos legend John who has been one of the success stories of the 2024 premiership.
The Broncos discard has been sensational for the Dolphins this season and, like his father, Plath is a wholehearted Mr Fixit capable of slotting into the hooking role.
“He’s playing really well,” Bennett said of Plath. “He is a wonderful young player for his age. He does a great job.”
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