The Rabbitohs may have ended their losing streak on Friday night but it came at a cost with star winger Alex Johnston set for a lengthy sideline stint.
Johnson tore his hamstring in the second half against the Bulldogs and scans have confirmed he’ll miss six weeks, according to The SMH.
Souths are already without outside backs Tyrone Munro and Campbell Graham and under pressure coach Jason Demetriou will now be forced into another backline reshuffle.
The Rabbitohs face the Warriors and Sharks at home before heading into the bye and Munro is expected to return after the break.
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WARRIORS STAR INJURED
Warriors star Luke Metcalf has suffered a suspected broken leg following a crunching tackle from Knights enforcer Tyson Frizell on Sunday.
Metcalf took on the line in the 10th minute and was met with heavy contact around the legs, with the No. 6 immediately grabbing his left shin.
The playmaker was carried off the field and down the tunnel by two trainers and replaced by Chanel Harris-Tavita, who scored just nine minutes later.
“Has he cracked it? You’ve got two bones beneath your knee, the tibia and fibula, one is more important than the other. I reckon he might have broken one,” Greg Alexander said on Fox League.
“It’s not a knee problem.”
Metcalf was put in a moon boot and on crutches in the sheds and will be sent for scans.
Coach Andrew Webster said in his post-game press conference that it could be a facture but he’ll wait for scan results.
It’s an unfortunate blow for Metcalf, who missed last year’s finals series due to a hamstring injury.
BRAVE BULLDOG
The Bulldogs are set to be without star forward Jacob Preston after he reportedly suffered a hairline fracture to his jaw.
Preston sustained the injury when he attempted to tackle South Sydney’s Shaquai Mitchell early in the second half but came off second best when he smashed into Mitchell’s shoulder.
The Bulldogs man lay on the turf and received immediate medical attention before he was taken off the field for a head injury assessment (HIA).
Preston was quickly cleared of concussion and bravely returned to play despite carrying a broken jaw.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Preston underwent scans on Saturday morning where it was revealed he suffered a broken jaw and now faces a three-week stint on the sidelines.
It’s a cruel blow for the Bulldogs given Preston was named the club’s player of the year last season.
RABBITOHS’ BID FOR ARROW RETURN
The Rabbitohs are reportedly desperate to get key forward Jai Arrow back on the field in 2024 and are giving him eight weeks to prove his fitness.
That is according to The Daily Telegraph, who are reporting the 28-year-old will have to go under the knife to fully fix his shoulder injury suffered during the Las Vegas season opener.
South Sydney are reportedly hoping he can rehabilitate his shoulder over an eight-week period before he returns.
However, the gun backrower has only a slim chance of being able to take the field and his season will likely end when he inevitably needs surgery on his rotator cuff.
Souths have already lost star centre Campbell Graham to a sternum injury that looks set to sideline him for an extended period.
Arrow played only 14 games last year after battling injuries, so a second injury plagued season would be a massive blow for Arrow and Souths’ finals hopes.
PANTHERS BACKROWER’S SHOULDER BLOW
Panthers backrower Liam Martin left the field with an AC joint injury a horror blow for Ivan Cleary’s side.
However, he was able to strap the injury and return after Matt Eisenhuth was called upon to replace the gun forward.
It remains to be seen how serious Martin’s injury is and Fox League’s Lara Pitt revealed club doctors had to cut off his jersey and he would take the field in a new strip.
Should he have suffered serious damage he could be sidelined ahead of the 2024 Origin series, joining Nathan Cleary, James Fisher Harris and Scott Sorensen on the sidelines.
BRONCOS BIG INJURY UPDATE
The Broncos have received mixed news in the past 24 hours regarding two of their starters, Reece Walsh and Brendan Piakura.
The initial diagnosis for Walsh’s facial fracture he suffered against Penrith was 4-6 weeks on the sideline.
However, The Courier Mail is reporting that Walsh won’t require surgery and he’ll be pushing to return for the Round 6 clash against the Dolphins – three weeks since the injury.
If the star fullback can’t go against the Dolphins, Brisbane’s game with the Raiders the following week looms as the likely return date.
Piakura is set to miss about a month after suffering an ankle injury during a training session on Tuesday.
It’s a huge blow for a Broncos pack already missing Payne Haas and feeling the loss of the departed Tom Flegler and Kurt Capewell.
Piakura’s absence opens the door for new recruit Jaiyden Hunt to make his Broncos debut.
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STORM PROVIDE MUNSTER UPDATE
The Melbourne Storm envisage Cameron Munster returning from a groin injury in Round 5, provided he ticks all the boxes at training.
Storm General Manager of Football Frank Ponissi provided an update on a number of players, included Munster in a club-issued statement on Wednesday.
“If he can train for the rest of this week and early next week, given it’s a Thursday night game, he too will be back for the Broncos game, which will be obviously a huge boost for the team.” Ponissi added.
The Storm have the bye this week before opening up Round 5 against the Broncos Thursday week.
Ponissi also revealed forward Joe Chan will be back in Round 5 after undergoing surgery to treat a hand infection while exciting young gun Sua Fa’alogo is looking at being available for selection from Round 6 as he “continues his recovery from an ankle injury”.
LUCKLESS ROOSTER SET FOR ANOTHER SIDELINE STINT
Roosters centre Billy Smith is set to miss two months after suffering an ankle injury during a NSW Cup game last weekend.
Smith has had a wretched run with injuries during his whole career, only playing in 27 NRL games since debuting for the Roosters in 2019.
“He (Billy Smith) went up for a high ball, came down and rolled the ankle,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
“He was in for surgery on Monday night to take out that piece of bone that got chipped off. It’s disappointing and means a couple of months (out of the game).”
Meanwhile, Sandon Smith, fresh off arguably his best game in first grade, will also be sidelined for a few weeks.
He sustained a significant medial ligament injury to his left elbow in the Roosters’ win over South Sydney.
“It’s a credit to Sandon because he did it in the first half. You could see him pull out of a tackle and started grabbing his elbow,” Robinson revealed.
“He got it strapped at halftime and he played on because we needed him to play on.
“He’s going to be out 4-6 weeks with that injury, which has blown up a lot. It’s a credit to him to brush it aside and go on.
Read on for the latest NRL Casualty Ward!
INJURED IN ROUND 4
Alex Johnston (hamstring) — Round 10
Luke Metcalf (leg) — TBC
Liam Martin (shoulder) — TBC
Josh Addo-Carr (concussion) — TBC
Jacob Preston (jaw) — Round 8
Zac Hosking (concussion) — TBC
FULL CASUALTY WARD
BRONCOS
Reece Walsh (facial fracture) — Round 6-7
Payne Haas (knee) — Round 8-9
Brendan Piakura — Round 8-9
RAIDERS
Zac Hosking (concussion) — TBC
Corey Harawira-Naera (seizure/medical) — indefinite
BULLDOGS
Josh Addo-Carr (concussion) — Round 6
Jacob Preston (jaw) — Round 8
Karl Oloapu (neck) — season
Ryan Sutton (knee) – season
SHARKS
Dale Finucane (head knock) — Round 6
Royce Hunt (calf) — Round 8
Toby Rudolf (ankle) —Round 8
Braden Hamlin-Uele (knee) — TBC
Jesse Colquhoun (foot) — indefinite
DOLPHINS
Connelly Lemuelu (knee) — Round 6
Tom Gilbert (knee) — season
TITANS
Keenan Palasia (quad) — TBC
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (knee) — season
SEA EAGLES
Matt Lodge (knee) — Round 6
Jason Saab (hamstring) — Round 7
STORM
Reimis Smith (rib) — Round 5
Cameron Munster (groin) — Round 5
Sua Fa’alogo (ankle) — Round 5
Joe Chan (hand) — Round 5
KNIGHTS
Leo Thompson (suspension) — Round 5
Dane Gagai (medical condition) — TBC
COWBOYS
Heilum Luki (ankle) — Round 9
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (Achilles) — mid-season
Coen Hess (knee) — season
EELS
Arthur Miller-Stephen (knee) — season
PANTHERS
James Fisher-Harris (shoulder) — Round 5
Nathan Cleary (hamstring) — Round 7-8
Scott Sorensen (knee) — Round 7-8
Liam Martin (shoulder) — TBC
RABBITOHS
Jai Arrow (shoulder) — Round 8
Tyrone Munro — Round 8
Alex Johnston (hamstring) — Round 10
Campbell Graham (sternum) — Round 20-22
DRAGONS
Corey Allan (knee) — season
ROOSTERS
Lindsay Collins (hamstring) — TBC
Sandon Smith (elbow) — TBC
Spencer Leniu (suspension) — Round 10
Billy Smith (ankle) — TBC
WARRIORS
Luke Metcalf (leg) — TBC
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (hamstring/back) — Round 5
Taine Tuaupiki (head knock) — Round 5
Edward Kosi (hand) — TBC
Demitric Sifakula (knee) — indefinite
TIGERS
Sione Fainu (foot) — Round 5
Jake Simpkin (concussion) — Round 5
Starford To’a (ankle) — Round 11
Adam Doueihi (knee) — Round 17
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