Tigers’ blow as star suffers horror knee injury in clash with Eels — Casualty Ward

The Wests Tigers have been dealt a blow on the eve of the season after veteran centre Brent Naden was forced off with a left knee injury in the first half of their pre-season clash with Parramatta.

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“The Tigers are saying a suspected dislocated knee cap,” Lara Pitt said on Fox League.

Naden is off contract at the end of the year but has impressed club officials after a turbulent 2024 where he seemed destined to be squeezed out.

He produced an incredible chase down in the All Stars game last week but is now in doubt for the start of the season after he was caught awkwardly in a tackle that saw his left leg bend in ways it shouldn’t.

A stretcher was brought out but Naden limped off Leichhardt Oval with the help of two trainers and headed straight up the tackle.

He had looked good in the first half and scored off an Adam Doueihi grubber as the teams traded tries in the first half.

RABBITOHS DOUBLE BLOW

The Rabbitohs have copped two catastrophic injuries to captain Cameron Murray and star fullback Latrell Mitchell on the eve of the 2025 season.

The extent of Murray’s injury was known almost immediately, with the skipper suffering a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon. He’ll likely miss most of the season.

“Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray has a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon suffered at training today (19 Feb). He will get scans, however he is not expected to be available to play in the coming months,” a Rabbitohs statement said.

Meanwhile, Mitchell was sent for scans on his hamstring with the club receiving less than ideal news on the extent of the injury.

“Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell has been ruled out for up to eight weeks with a hamstring injury. He will now work through his rehabilitation plan with the Club’s medical staff,” a statement on Thursday morning read.

It’s a devastating blow for the Bunnies, who will have to see their two best players sidelined for a considerable amount of time.

A report from CODE Sports revealed the injuries occurred five minutes apart during the same training block.

According to the report, the pair were taking part in an “innocuous defensive drill” when they suffered the injuries, leaving them side by side on the physio table.

With Junior Tatola (foot, Pre-Season Challenge), Jai Arrow (shoulder, Round 1), Cody Walker (calf, Round 1-2), Campbell Graham (hand, Round 4), Alex Johnston (Achilles, TBC) and Euan Aitken (pectoral, TBC) already among Souths’ walking wounded, it shapes as a rough start to the season for Wayne Bennett’s side, who have been touted for a vast improvement after finishing second-last in 2024 before the supercoach’s return.

BRUTAL BLOW FOR SHARKS FLYER

Sharks winger Sione Katoa will likely miss most of the NRL season after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction.

Katoa suffered the injury against the Warriors in the Pre-Season Challenge opener a fortnight ago. It turned out to be a brutal clash, with opposite winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, also injured and set for a sideline stint (see below).

The Sharks released a statement on Thursday revealing Katoa’s recovery period is expected to be four to five months.

Unfortunately for Katoa, he’ll have to miss Cronulla’s trip to Vegas and over half of the regular season.

Impressive youngster Sam Stonestreet is the favourite to take Katoa’s spot although Mawene Hiroti is reportedly in the fray as well.

WARRIORS STAR TO MISS HALF OF 2025

Warriors star Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks — possibly more — after fracturing and dislocating his left wrist, the club confirmed.

Watene-Zelezniak, 29, was injured in the Warriors’ first pre-season trial against Cronulla and had surgery last week.

His best-case scenario is a return between rounds 10 and 14, the club said in a statement.

That gives him an earliest return of May 10, against the Dragons in Wollongong.

The gun winger will be an unlucky absentee from New Zealand’s season-opener in Las Vegas, also against the Raiders on Sunday, March 2 (AEDT).

BULLDOGS PAIR HURT

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould has revealed the club suffered a double injury blow which will rule two players out of contention for Round 1.

Speaking on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast, Gould said that winger Jacob Kiraz had not trained since suffering a back injury that ruled him out of the Pacific Championships and “won’t see the start of the season”.

Gould went on to add that new recruit Enari Tuala, who he said “was training well”, fractured his foot at training and would be “unavailable”.

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FULL CASUALTY WARD

BRONCOS

Kotoni Staggs (quad, Pre-Season Challenge)

Adam Reynolds (neck, Pre-Season Challenge)

Blake Mozer (shoulder, TBC)

Payne Haas (ankle, Round 1)

Ezra Mam (suspended, Round 10)

RAIDERS

Zac Hosking (calf, TBC)

Corey Harawira-Naera (seizure/medical, indefinite)

BULLDOGS

Ryan Sutton (knee, Round 1)

Kurt Mann (fractured clavicle, Round 1)

SHARKS

Nicho Hynes (adductor, TBC)

Kade Dykes (knee, Round 1)

Toby Rudolf (shoulder, TBC)

Jesse Colquhoun (knee, TBC)

DOLPHINS

Kenny Bromwich (elbow, Pre-Season Challenge)

Connelly Lemuelu (shoulder, Pre-Season Challenge)

Tom Gilbert (knee, Round 1)

Tom Flegler (shoulder, Round 14)

Trai Fuller (knee, TBC)

TITANS

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)

Reagan Campbell-Gillard (shoulder, Round 2)

Carter Gordon (back, Round 2)

SEA EAGLES

Taniela Paskea (shoulder, Round 1)

Jason Saab (ankle, Round 1)

Lachlan Croker (knee, Round 4)

STORM

Jahrome Hughes (neck, Pre-Season Challenge)

Jonah Pezet (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)

Xavier Coates (ankle, Round 1)

Cameron Munster (groin, Round 1)

Nelson Asofa-Solomona (suspended, Round 3)

Dean Ieremia (Achilles, TBC)

KNIGHTS

N/A

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