Casualty Ward: Dragons sweat on Paul Vaughan injury, Cameron Smith boost for Storm

SOUTH Sydney have lost two outside backs to long-term injuries while Tigers winger Corey Thompson will miss the rest of the season — keep up with all the latest injury news.

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 04: Paul Vaughan of the Dragons is helped as he leaves the field with an injury during the round 21 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the New Zealand Warriors at WIN Stadium on August 4, 2018 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

THE Wests Tigers’ faint NRL finals hopes have received another blow with Corey Thompson ruled out for the rest of the season.

After going down in Friday’s win over Newcastle, the club on Monday confirmed he will sit out the rest of the year with an ankle injury.

He joins Tigers teammates Josh Reynolds (shoulder) and Mahe Fonua (arm) in having their 2018 seasons ended by injury.

Thompson has been one of the club’s big improvers this season after excelling in the fullback position, before being reverted to the wing following Moses Mbye’s mid-season arrival.

He had played all 20 of the Tigers’ games this year, however he will now undergo surgery in the hope of being fit to begin pre-season training in November. The ninth-placed Tigers are four points behind the eighth-placed Warriors with four games remaining.

Corey Thompson will miss the remainder of the season. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Melbourne have received a major boost with captain Cameron Smith expected to be fit to play in Sunday’s NRL clash with Cronulla.

The veteran hooker was expected to have scans on Monday amid concerns he may face an extended stint on the sidelines after limping off in Friday’s loss to South Sydney.

* The Dragons are sweating on the diagnosis of Paul Vaughan’s unknown injury suffered during the loss to the Warriors.

* South Sydney’s big win over Melbourne was soured, with Adam Doueihi suffering a season-ending ACL injury.

* Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold also confirmed skipper Greg Inglis would miss next week’s clash with the Sydney Roosters

* Rabbitohs winger Robert Jennings will miss 4-6 week with a hamstring injury.

* Broncos lock Josh McGuire will miss the Queensland derby with the Cowboys for pulling the hair of Canterbury’s Adam Elliott

* Fellow Brisbane forward Tevita Pangai Jr is also in some doubt. He left the field after 50 minutes and did not return as he battled hamstring and groin soreness

* Storm flyer Suliasi Vunivalu missed Melbourne’s clash with South Sydney after travelling back to Fiji for a funeral

* Warriors star Tohu Harris missed his side’s clash against St George Illawarra after suffering a fresh knee injury

* Fellow NZ forward Sam Lison faces two weeks on the sideline after being charged by the match review committee for dangerous contact on Dragon Tariq Sims

* Knights five-eighth Connor Watson was a pre-game withdrawal with a groin injury

* Knights halfback Mitchell Pearce (corked thigh) failed to finish his side’s match against Wests Tigers and is in doubt for next week

* Sharks prop Andrew Fifita failed a HIA during Cronulla's loss to Manly

South Sydney young gun Adam Doueihi is carted off with a knee injury. Picture: Brett Costello

ROUND 21 NRL CASUALTY WARD

BRONCOS

Andre Savelio (ACL, Season)

Matt Gillett (Broken neck, Season)

Payne Haas (Shoulder, Season)

Jack Bird (Sternum, Indefinite)

Jaydn Su’A (Leg/foot, Season)

Josh McGuire (Suspension, TBC)

Tevita Pangai Jr (Hamstring/groin, TBC)

BULLDOGS

Kieran Foran (Foot, Season)

Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Hand/Knee, Season)

Marcelo Montoya (Hamstring, Season)

David Klemmer (Suspension, Round 22)

COWBOYS

Sam Hoare (ACL, Season)

Michael Morgan (Bicep, Season)

Josh Chudleigh (Knee, Season)

Antonio Winterstein (Knee, retired)

DRAGONS

Jacob Host (Dislocated shoulder, Round 23)

Nene MacDonald (Foot, TBC)

EELS

Tony Williams (ACL, Season)

Beau Scott (ACL, Season)

Manu Ma’u (Cheekbone, Indefinite)

Cameron King (Knee, Round 24)

Josh Hoffman (Shoulder, Season)

Kaysa Pritchard (Shoulder, Season)

Daniel Alvaro (Concussion/knee, Round 24)

KNIGHTS

Slade Griffin (Knee, Season)

Tautau Moga (ACL, Season)

Jacob Saifiti (Shoulder, Round 24)

Connor Watson (Groin, TBC)

Mitchell Pearce (Corked thigh, TBC)

PANTHERS

Sam McKendry (ACL, Season)

Tim Browne (Ruptured bowel, Retired)

Dylan Edwards (Shoulder, Season)

Peter Wallace (Shoulder, Retired)

Jarome Luai (Ankle, Season)

RABBITOHS

Robert Jennings (Hamstring, Finals)

Greg Inglis (Broken thumb, Round 22-23)

Adam Doueihi (ACL, Season)

Mark Nicholls (Knee, TBC)

RAIDERS

Ata Hingano (Ankle, Season)

Jack Wighton (Disciplinary, Season)

Jarrod Croker (Knee, Season)

Michael Oldfield (Knee, Season)

ROOSTERS

Bernard Lewis (ACL, Season)

Luke Keary (Knee, TBC)

SEA EAGLES

Apisai Koroisau (Foot, Season)

Curtis Sironen (ACL, Season)

Lachlan Croker (ACL, Season)

Akuila Uate (Ankle, Season)

SHARKS

Jack Williams (Pec, Season)

Kurt Capewell (Thumb, Round 23-25)

Andrew Fifita (Concussion, TBC)

STORM

Sam Kasiano (Knee, Round 25)

Suliasi Vunivalu (Personal, Round 22)

TITANS

Dale Copley (Hamstring, season)

Max King (Shoulder, season)

Morgan Boyle (Shoulder, Season)

WARRIORS

Nathaniel Roache (Back, Season)

Tohu Harris (Knee, TBC)

Sam Lisone (Suspension, TBC)

WESTS TIGERS

Mahe Fonua (Broken arm, Round 23)

Josh Reynolds (Shoulder, Season)

Chris Lawrence (Hamstring/hand, Round 23)

Corey Thompson (Ankle, Season)

Originally published as Casualty Ward: Dragons sweat on Paul Vaughan injury, Cameron Smith boost for Storm