NRL Casualty Ward: Reynolds hobbled again; Knights lose Frizell
Broncos halfback and captain Adam Reynolds has succumbed to a hamstring injury during Thursday night’s match against the Storm in Melbourne.
Reynolds punched the ground and grabbed the back of his leg after pulling up awkward from a tackle just before halftime.
After hobbling from the field, Reynolds was visibly upset in the Broncos dressing room at halftime and spent the second half watching from the sideline.
It was initially feared he had aggravated the knee injury which sidelined him from the Round 3 match against Penrith, but reports after half-time said the initial diagnosis was that Reynolds had low grade hamstring injury.
Eels halfback Mitch Moses has commenced rehabilitation and is aiming for a Round 12 return after surgery on a fractured foot.
The Eels have also lost winger Haze Dunster for 12 weeks with a lisfranc injury while back-rower Bryce Cartwright (ribs) is expected to be unavailable for a further three to four weeks.
Tyson Frizell has been ruled out of Round 5 with a hamstring injury, but the Knights do have some good news with centre Dane Gagai back on deck after missing the Round 4 trip to Auckland due to a medical condition.
The Warriors, meanwhile, have confirmed a leg fracture for Luke Metcalf who has undergone surgery after breaking the tibia in his right leg. He will miss an extended period of time with a return to be set by the club in the coming weeks.
Titans duo Phil Sami and Isaac Liu will miss Round 5 with injuries suffered in last week’s loss to the Dolphins, with Sami missing the next three weeks after picking up a syndesmosis injury after a hip drop tackle from Max Plath.
Liu will miss the Cowboys clash in Round 5 after failing his HIA post-match, resulting in the forward undergoing the mandatory 11-day concussion return to play protocols.
The pair join forward Keenan Palasia on the sidelines, with the new recruit a late withdrawal last week with a quad strain that will see him out for a few more weeks.
Bulldogs second-rower Jacob Preston is set to be sidelined for four weeks with a broken jaw, suffered in a collision with Rabbitohs prop Shaquai Mitchell.
“He suffered a hairline fracture, he’s out for three weeks and then he’ll be back after the bye [in Round 8],” coach Cameron Ciraldo said.
The Bulldogs will also be without winger Josh Addo-Carr in Round 5 after he failed a HIA on Good Friday.
Long-term absentees Ryan Sutton is expected to return to play in late May while Daniel Suluka-Fifita is expected to return from his knee injury by round 12.
Zac Hosking (concussion) and Elliott Whitehead (calf) and Albert Hopoate (arm burn) are all sidelined for the Raiders in Round 5, with Hosking and Hopoate tipped to return in Round 6.
Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston is expected to be sidelined for six weeks after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring tear in his side’s win over the Bulldogs in Round 4. South Sydney will also be without forward Shaquai Mitchell (concussion) for their clash with the Warriors in Round 5 as he undergoes the 11-day stand-down period.
Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary is eyeing a Round 7 return from the hamstring injury he picked up in Round 3, while teammate Scott Sorensen is also expected to return after the bye from an MCL injury.
“Nathan was 50/50 but we just decided to ere on the side of caution because he’s not quite ready,” Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said on Tuesday.
The Sharks will be without prop Royce Hunt for a month due to a calf injury, while fellow middle forwards Dale Finucane (facial injury) and Toby Rudolf (ankle) are both expected to be out until at least Round 6.
To view the complete NRL Casualty Ward, please visit the hub page.
Leave a Reply