Referee contact charge adds to Tigers’ spine issues
Scott Bailey |
Benji Marshall has admitted Apisai Koroisau’s concussion could impact the Tallyn Da Silva situation as the NRL’s charge sheet added to Wests Tigers’ spine woes.
Already set to be without Koroisau, Jarome Luai and Jahream Bula next week against the Sydney Roosters, the Tigers now face losing Heath Mason for making contact with a referee.
Mason was on Saturday charged with a grade-two contrary conduct offence, after colliding with Gerard Sutton while attempting to get to a kick in the Tigers’ loss to Manly on Friday night.
He will cop a one-game ban with an early guilty plea, or risk a second game on the sideline if he contests the charge.
Mason’s ban could not come at a worse time for the Tigers, after he started Friday night deputising for Bula at fullback and later moved into the halves.
Hooker Koroisau is set to miss next week with a concussion while halfback Luai is in NSW Origin camp if he recovers from an infection. Bula has a hamstring tear.
The Tigers have already released the fourth member of their first-choice spine from the start of the year, Lachlan Galvin, to Canterbury.
Any chance of close friend and rising hooker Da Silva following him out the door mid-season before Monday’s June 30 deadline could now be quashed given the Koroisau concussion.
After Koroisau was knocked out trying to make a second-half tackle, Da Silva is potentially now a more valuable asset for the Tigers and would start next week if still there.
Several clubs are known to be interested in the 20-year-old, with Parramatta favourites to secure his services and Manly another option.
Da Silva is contracted to the Tigers until the end of next year, but the club has opted to let the Campbelltown junior walk after keeping Koroisau as their No.9.
NRL rules state all mid-season signings must be completed by June 30, meaning Da Silva won’t be able to move on after filling in at No.9 for the Tigers next week.
Asked if Koroisau’s concussion would impact the Da Silva situation, Marshall suggested it could.
“It’s something we will have to talk about over the weekend,” the Wests Tigers coach said.
“Honestly I don’t know (if he will be at the Tigers next week). That is up to him and his management.
“We will leave that up to them where that lands.”
Tristan Hope is the club’s hooker in reserve grade, meaning another reshuffle could be required if Da Silva moves before the end of Monday.
Sunia Turuva would be an option to move to fullback for the Tigers against the Roosters, with Luke Laulilii another option.
Centre Adam Doueihi could also play halves if Mason accepts his suspension.
The Tigers have now lost six games straight, with Marshall admitting ladder pressure was starting to tell after a good start to the season.
“If I am looking at it performance wise, yeah, sure we’ve improved. But the results are damning a bit,” Marshall said.
“We’ve improved. But while a lot of people probably expected us to still be at the bottom of the table, we expected a lot more from ourselves.”
AAP
