Casualty Ward: Keaon Koloamatangi faces lengthy stint on sidelines, injury crisis could force Rabbitohs to consider part-time players

The Rabbitohs are sweating on scans for the injured Keaon Koloamatangi, amid a club crisis which could see the Rabbitohs missing up to 14 players as they fight to avoid the wooden spoon.

South Sydney might be forced to turn to part-time players in Townsville in a bid to avoid the wooden spoon after the horror injury toll worsened on Friday night.

It comes as scans cleared Roosters forward Victor Radley of a serious shoulder injury.

Victor Radley is in doubt for the next Roosters’ match. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

There were concerns that Radley had suffered a serious injury but he will need to manage the pain for the rest of the season in his shoulder. While Radley has been cleared to take on the Storm on Thursday night centre Billy Smith (concussion) is out.Their cross-town rivals will be battling to name a fully fit 21-man squad following the latest setbacks to Keaon Koloamatangi (ankle) and Peter Mamouzelos (concussion).

It may force South Sydney to look at their feeder relationship with Queensland Cup side Townsville Blackhawks. The Rabbitohs can call on Blackhawks players to fill the gap like they did last season when State of Origin III debutant Gehamat Shibasaki played one game for the club.

Keaon Koloamatangi leaves the field against the Panthers in round 20. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Blackhawks, who had a bye this week, sit on top of the Queensland Cup ladder. Their squad has a sprinkling of NRL talent including ex-Kangaroo James Tamou, Matt Wright, Jayden Hodges, Bailey Biondi-Odo and Kalifa Faifai-Loa.

Winger Dudley Dotoi is the Queensland’s Cup leading tryscorer with 18 tries from 15 games.

Blackhawks’ Dudley Dotoi proves hard to stop in the Queensland Hostplus Cup. Picture: Brendan Radke

The Rabbitohs could be missing up to 14 players from their top 30 squad to take on Cronulla on Saturday night. That includes Latrell Mitchell who will potentially miss the rest of the season after injuring his quadriceps at the captain’s run on Thursday.

Koloamatangi was sent for scans on Saturday with South Sydney hopeful he suffered a low grade syndesmosis which will sideline him for at least four weeks provided he avoids surgery. Mamouzelos will also miss the game.

Peter Mamouzelos leaves the field for a HIA against the Penrith Panthers. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Rabbitohs had just two players in their top 30 – Shaq Mitchell and Thomas Fletcher – play in their NSW Cup side against St George Illawarra on Saturday.

The match review committee charged three players on Friday night with South Sydney’s Jamie Humphreys and Cronulla duo Blayke Brailey and Addin Founa-Blake were all fined for their respective grade one offences.

Blayke Brailey has escaped suspension. Picture: NRL Imagery

Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai is battling an ankle injury while Jesse Ramien – who missed the match because of a hamstring injury – will be right to play the Rabbitohs according to coach Craig Fitzgibbon.

“He has had surgery on his ankle a few years ago,” Fitzgibbon said on ABC Sport. “It stirs it up a bit. I don’t think it’s too bad but it will be 48 hours before we assess it. I don’t think it’s significant.

“ (Ramien) carried a little (hamstring strain) the week before and then had some signals there. At a pitch we might’ve thrown him out there … he should be right to play.”

In other injury news, Brian To’o (knee) is in doubt for Penrith’s game against the Tigers on Saturday as he deals with an ongoing ailment.

Brian To'o is also in doubt for the Panthers. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Meanwhile, a virus has swept through the Newcastle Knights with just six players reporting for training on Saturday. A dozen players were quarantined from the rest of the group with most at home after a severe bout of gastro.

Cronulla star escapes ban for dangerous throw

– David Riccio and Michael Carayannis

The NRL’s in-form hooker Blayke Brailey has escaped suspension after being placed on-report on Friday night.

The outstanding Sharks hooker has been slugged by the NRL match review committee with a $1,000 fine for a grade one dangerous throw on Roosters centre Billy Smith.

Sharks teammate Addin Fonua-Blake has also been hit with a $1,500 fine for a grade one shoulder charge on rival prop Lindsay Collins.

Rabbitohs playmaker Jamie Humphreys has also escaped suspension with a $1,000 fine for a grade one dangerous contact charge on Penrith star Dylan Edwards.

Originally published as Casualty Ward: Keaon Koloamatangi faces lengthy stint on sidelines, injury crisis could force Rabbitohs to consider part-time players