Canberra lose Josh Hodgson for season ahead of grand final rematch
Canberra captain Josh Hodgson and winger Bailey Simonsson have been ruled out for the season after costly loss to the Storm.
Canberra will step up their search for forward depth on Monday as they head into Thursday night’s grand final rematch reeling from a loss to Melbourne that cost them captain Josh Hodgson and winger Bailey Simonsson – and an admission that they were wronged from the NRL.
Hodgson had scans on Sunday on his knee and the club later confirmed his season was over due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. The Raiders said Hodgson would consult a surgeon this week to determine when he would undergo surgery.
Scans also revealed that Simonsson’s shoulder injury was worse than first thought – he will also see a surgeon this week and the club said he would most likely require season-ending surgery.
For Hodgson, it marks the second time in recent seasons that he has suffered a serious knee problem, although the good news is that the latest setback is with the other leg. Regardless, the Raiders were already facing an injury crisis in their forward pack and it has only worsened as they prepare to face the competition yardstick.
Aside from Hodgson, the Raiders have been shorn of Sia Soliola (facial fracture), Emre Guler (ankle), Corey Horsburgh (foot) and John Bateman (shoulder) through long-term injury.
The club also allowed JJ Collins and Luke Bateman to exit before the competition went into lockdown, and Jack Murchie was given a release so he could take up a deal with the Warriors.
Pickings are suddenly very slim for coach Ricky Stuart as the Raiders prepare to face the Roosters for the first time since last year’s grand final, when many considered they were unlucky not to end their premiership drought.
The job will be more difficult this time around given their own absences and the quality of the side they will face – the Roosters are coming off a demolition of North Queensland in Townsville and will have captain Boyd Cordner and likely winger Brett Morris back as they host the Raiders.
Canberra were already scouring the NRL for possible signings – they have been given salary cap dispensation because Bateman suffered his shoulder problem playing for England – but the matter has now become a matter of urgency given the impact of injury on Stuart’s squad.
The Raiders are having little joy with the match officials after head of football Graham Annesley acknowledged the video bunker had erred in sin-binning Simonsson on Saturday after he and Josh Addo-Carr came together in the chase for a kick.
The video officials ruled Simonsson had deliberately taken out Addo-Carr. However, Annesley disagreed and for the second time in as many weeks, rendered his opinion that the video bunker had got it wrong.
At his regular media briefing last Monday, Annesley said it was his opinion that the bunker had made the wrong call when Manly were chasing Newcastle late in the game. Saturday night’s decision was potentially just as costly given Melbourne scored while Simonsson was off the field.
The Storm finished up winning 20-14 and Annesley on Sunday said he was concerned that the officials in the bunker were over-analysing their decisions.
Annesley has urged the video officials to take the view of the average punter rather than study endless replays.
“In my opinion we got this one wrong,” Annesley said.
“Both players were scrambling for the ball and in that situation there was always going to be some sort of contact, but I don’t believe there was any intent to take Josh Addo-Carr out.
“I think the bunker is over-analysing these incidents from a technical point of view, instead of just looking at it from a fans’ perspective to decide what most people would consider a fair and reasonable decision.”
That news will be cold comfort for Stuart, whose side is in danger of losing ground on the top four should it lose to the Roosters.
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