This is the tackle that has ended Valentine Holmes’ season for the Dragons
St George Illawarra’s finals hopes have been dealt a crushing blow with Valentine Holmes sidelined for the rest of the season.See the tackle that ended it all here.
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St George Illawarra’s finals hopes have been dealt a crushing blow with Valentine Holmes sidelined for the rest of the season and the Queensland star facing a six month recovery after suffering a serious shoulder injury.
Holmes becomes the second Origin player set for a long stint on the sideline in as many days after South Sydney fullback Latrell Mitchell was ruled out for at least four weeks because of a quadriceps injury.
Holmes’ situation is far more severe with the 29-year-old needing surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff which will see him miss up to six months. The injury rules him out of the end of season Ashes series and given his performance for Queensland he would have been a walk-up start to the Kangaroos squad.
Holmes suffered the injury with 20 minutes left in St George Illawarra’s clash against the Roosters last Saturday. He was flopped on by Queensland teammate Lindsay Collins but still managed to finish the game. Holmes failed to line-up a conversion attempt shortly after the injury and was seen clutching at his shoulder after he played the ball following Collins’ tackle. Collins gave away a set restart for the tackle.
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said the injury was a blow given Holmes’ had rediscovered his best form in recent weeks after joining the club from North Queensland in the off-season.
“The last couple of weeks on the back of Origin he has come out of it with some real confidence even in the middle of that Origin period,” Flanagan said. “The last couple of games he has been outstanding.”
Holmes was named to take on the Bulldogs on Saturday. By having surgery now it should not impede his 2026 season and will allow Holmes to be fit for St George Illawarra’s round one clash against Canterbury in Las Vegas next year.
“We could’ve rolled the dice (and tried to play Holmes this year) which was heavily favoured against us,” Flanagan said. “He could have rehabbed and then in four to six weeks he gets another hit on it and it just stuffs up the start of our season up next year. It was one of those ones we had to get done now so he can have a bit pre-season.”
Holmes’ is now the third Dragon to suffer season ending injuries alongside forwards Ryan Couchman and Dylan Egan (both knee). Toby Couchman (shoulder) may also need a reconstruction if his injury does not mend.
“I don’t know if it is as bad as it gets but it’s not good,” Flanagan said. “We have potentially two of our starting front-rowers out in Ryan and Toby and out of our outstanding young kids in Dylan Egan did his ACL. Throw Val in there and they are long-term injuries.”
The Dragons will be without Holmes against Canterbury in a near must-win game for the Dragons to keep their finals hopes alive.
Corey Allan or Mat Feagai are likely to come into the starting side.
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