Fa’alogo out, clubs hold breath after brutal NRL round
Scott Bailey |
Melbourne sensation Sua Fa’alogo may not play again before the finals as NRL clubs count the costs of one of the most damaging rounds of the year.
The Storm confirmed on Monday that Fa’alogo would be sidelined for two to three months after badly tearing his left hamstring in the win over Cronulla.
The winger’s injury comes after Melbourne centre Jack Howarth had his appendix removed last week and will miss at least three games, while fellow wingers Will Warbrick and Moses Leo are also out for extended periods.
Fa’alogo’s injury was one of many suffered by high-profile players in a brutal round 17, as several clubs continued to hold their breath on Monday and hope for the best.
No team were more impacted than St George Illawarra, who finished Saturday night’s win over Parramatta with no fit players on the bench and three injured men on the field.
Winger Nathan Lawson will miss five weeks after playing out the final 15 minutes of the loss with a scapula fracture in his right shoulder.
Fellow winger Christian Tuipulotu won’t return until 21 after tearing his hamstring in the warm up, while Luciano Leilua will miss a week with a quad strain.
The Dragons are still weighing up whether forward Toby Couchman needs season-ending shoulder surgery after a dislocation, while Hamish Stewart will miss a week with a concussion.
Damien Cook and Jaydn Su’A did not require scans after having ankle issues in the win, while the Dragons are confident Viliami Fifita’s knee pain was not serious.
There is better news for the Dragons’ opponents this week, with Canberra prop Joe Tapine (dislocated finger) cleared to play on Friday.
The Warriors are awaiting confirmation that halfback Luke Metcalf has ruptured his ACL, while fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad also underwent scans on his knee.
Wests Tigers also have major issues in their spine positions.
After fullback Jahream Bula was ruled out for a month last week with a hamstring injury, his replacement Heath Mason was suspended following the loss to Manly.
Hooker Apisai Koroisau suffered a concussion in Friday night’s defeat, while back-up No.9 Tallyn Da Silva has been released to join Parramatta immediately.
Halfback Jarome Luai is in NSW Origin camp, leaving Latu Fainu as the only standing member of a Tigers’ spine that also no longer has Lachlan Galvin.
Luke Laulilii, Alex Lobb and Sunia Turuva are the most likely options to wear No.1 against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday, while Tristan Hope could play hooker and Adam Doueihi five-eighth.
Souths too have halves issues with Cody Walker set for a stint out with a hamstring tear, while his likely replacement Jayden Sullivan suffered a broken leg in NSW Cup.
The Rabbitohs are awaiting scans to determine how long Walker will miss, but Jack Wighton or Lewis Dodd will need to play No.6 against Manly on Sunday.
Their opponents Manly are awaiting a prognosis on Nathan Brown’s bicep, hopeful he can avoid season-ending surgery after a suspected rupture.
And the Dolphins are expected to face a stint without Kodi Nikorima, after he tore his hamstring in their win over South Sydney.
The litany of injuries come as Newcastle holds onto hope that Kalyn Ponga could yet return this season from the lisfranc injury that ruled him out of the Origin decider.
AAP
