Phil Rothfield says it’s “really unusual” that Selwyn Cobbo and Ezra Mam went down with hamstring injuries in the Broncos’ loss to the Storm, and that question marks over coach Michael Maguire’s training methods are “genuine”.
Cobbo, Mam, and skipper Adam Reynolds all suffered hamstring injuries in Brisbane’s nightmare trip to Melbourne.
According to the Broncos, Reynolds will be sidelined for four weeks, but the injuries to Cobbo and Mam are more severe, with the pair unlikely to return for more than six weeks.
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While Rothfield said it was understandable that 35-year-old Reynolds suffered the injury, given his age, he was less convinced about Mam, 22, and Cobbo, 23.
“Reynolds’ body has been a question mark for a couple of years,” Rothfield said on NRL 360.
“And these soft tissue injuries that he suffers every now and then, so that is always a risk of happening.
“But with people like Cobbo and with people like Ezra Mam I think it’s really unusual that they went down.”
Rothfield implied the Broncos had leaked to journalists like fellow panellist Brent Read that they’d had a light training week, in order to keep the media off their backs about their training methods.
“And I think the Broncos, this week, rather than leaking to you that they’ve had light weeks, I honestly think they should be looking in and a deeper dive into why these (injuries) are happening,” Rothfield said to Read.
“What I’m saying is the other clubs don’t have three (hamstring injuries) a game.”
But Read felt as though the general speed of the game had more to do with the Broncos’ injuries, and also pointed out that other clubs have had their share of injuries as well.
“The game’s so fast, there’s six agains, ball in play is more,” Read said.
“Souths have had so many injuries this year, it’s not funny.
“Multiple calf problems. Latrell (Mitchell), Cody (Walker).
“(Melbourne’s) Harry Grant missed a month with a hamstring problem earlier this year.”
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But Rothfield was adamant Maguire’s methods should be questioned.
“You know we’re sitting here talking about it because it’s a genuine discussion,” Rothfield added.
“It’s a genuine discussion, the way Madge trains that football side, it is.”
Read had a different view.
“I don’t think he trains them any differently to Melbourne or anyone else,” Read said.
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