By Billie Eder
The Rabbitohs have been dealt another injury blow with playmaker Cody Walker set to miss up to five weeks after suffering a calf tear at training this week.
It means coach Wayne Bennett will move young fullback Jye Gray into the halves to join Jayden Sullivan, as Latrell Mitchell makes his return to fullback against Melbourne on Friday night.
“No he’s [Walker] not playing,” Bennett said. “He’s hurt his calf, got a severe tear there training two days ago, three days ago, so he’ll be out for four or five weeks.
“Jye Gray will come in and Latrell will be the captain ... that was his [Gray] junior position. All his senior football has been at fullback, but I’m confident he can do the job for us.”
Walker suffered a hamstring injury earlier in the year, but Bennett said it was the other leg that was causing him issues now.
Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker could miss four or five weeks.Credit: Getty Images
“We’re all disappointed, but he’s most disappointed because it impacts on him personally, but nothing we can do about it,” Bennett said.
“It wasn’t the hamstring – the hamstring is the last one he had – so different area, opposite leg. It just happens. No reason why they happen, just as you get older, I think they become a little bit more vulnerable.”
It’s another halves headache for South Sydney, who are already without halfback Jamie Humphreys after he suffered a hamstring injury earlier this month.
Young fullback Jye Gray moves into the halves.Credit: NRL Photos
Englishman Lewis Dodd is yet to get his start at halfback, but Bennett said his time would come.
“He [Dodd] knows what’s going on out there – that’s pretty important to play halfback,” Bennett said.
“He picks up all the plays pretty easily and got good hands and that, and he’s got a good attitude, [he] just needs an opportunity right now, and he’s getting closer to getting there.”
Walker joins a number of South Sydney players in the casualty ward, including skipper Cameron Murray whose recovery from a ruptured Achilles has been delayed after he was hospitalised with an infection.
Wingers Mikaele Ravalawa, Alex Johnston and Tyrone Munro are all sidelined with various injuries.
The Rabbitohs have the tough task of heading down to Melbourne for their Anzac Day clash.
Since the Storm’s inception in 1998, the Rabbitohs have travelled to Melbourne 19 times and returned empty-handed every time.
“It’s a bit of a fortress down there, they play their best footy down there, and they’ve always been a very competitive football team and had a lot of success,” Bennett said. “So I’ve got to put it down to that, I suppose.”
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