NRL casualty ward: South Sydney Rabbitohs recruit Jack Wighton suffers injury at training

South Sydney’s prized recruit, Jack Wighton, has been helped from the training ground after suffering an injury in pre-season with the Rabbitohs.

Star recruit Jack Wighton sent a kingsize scare through the South Sydney camp when carried from the training field on Tuesday with what was initially feared to be a serious injury.

Wighton was running when he collapsed to the ground with club officials afraid he had sustained a knee drama.

Wary of placing too much weight and pressure on his leg, Wighton was helped from the field by Souths’ medical staff.

Fearing a consequential knee injury, Wighton looked visibly distressed.

South Sydney signing Jack Wighton. Picture: Souths Digital

Once inside the club’s Centre of Excellence at Maroubra, Wighton was diagnosed with having sustained a calf injury.

He will rest over Christmas before joining the club’s rehab group on January 9, when players return from their Christmas break.

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou hopes Wighton could be running freely again by mid-January.

“They didn’t want Jack putting pressure on it when he walked off so they helped him off the field to make sure he didn’t put too much weight on it,” Demetriou said.

“Once they got him inside, it wasn’t as bad as first thought. It’s not a knee injury, it’s a calf injury.

Jack Wighton is suspended for the start of the season. Picture: NRL Photos

“Jack went to push off and tweaked his calf. The physios are confident it’s not too bad.

“We’ve only got one more day of training (this year) and we hope he will be running probably around the 9th of January when we start back.

“He will be rehab running by then and by mid-January he will be training with the team, I’d say.

“We have two weeks off.”

Wighton isn’t available for the opening three rounds of next season after being suspended for biting Newcastle’s Tyson Gamble.

He will return for the round four game against Canterbury on March 29.

While still new to the club, Wighton received a glowing appraisal from Demetriou.

“Jack has been awesome,” he said.

“He has brought professionalism and intensity in the way he goes about his work.

“Jack has been a breath of fresh air, to be honest, he’s been really good for the group.

“He has an extended pre-season (through suspension) – he has a couple of extra weeks off. He’s not available until round four.”

Originally published as NRL casualty ward: South Sydney Rabbitohs recruit Jack Wighton suffers injury at training