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# By Christian Nicolussi The Daily Telegraph
JUST days after surging to third spot on the NRL ladder, the Rabbitohs are facing a personnel crisis.
Should dynamic No. 9 Issac Luke fail to beat a dangerous contact charge tonight at the judiciary for his hit on Johnathan Thurston, the Bunnies will have up to eight topline forwards unavailable for Sunday's all-important clash with Brisbane.
Luke's judiciary drama comes on top of the loss of in-form second-rowers Sam Burgess (England) and Dave Taylor (Queensland) to representative duty.
Powerful prop Scott Geddes (knee) and Ben Ross (neck) are out for the season.
Back-rowers Michael Crocker and Shannan McPherson are also struggling with injuries and are next to no chance of making a shock return.
To make matters worse for the Rabbitohs, new recruit Jaiman Lowe - rushed back from the Queensland Cup to fill the breach left by Ross - has a two-week suspension he needs to serve.
The only good news for Souths was the return of the impressive young forward David Tyrrell, who has joined capable but small utilities Luke Capewell and Jamie Simpson on the interchange bench for the Broncos match.
Luke was disappointed to be cited for his alleged late shot on Thurston during Monday's 32-4 triumph, but said the club's spare-parts forwards could get the job done, with or without him.
"We can still be intimidating up front this weekend. This is where the boys need to step up, and I believe they can," Luke said at Souths recovery.
"We've got used to having Dave, Scott and big Sam around, we just have to go to training now and work on things we need to.
"I'm disappointed with the charge because I don't want to miss any more games. I had a look at the replay this morning, I do connect with him but it happened so fast.
"He got up after a little while. If I had got penalised I could understand it, but to be charged stings me."
Skipper Roy Asotasi will have the job leading an inexperienced pack from the front and labelled the Broncos clash the toughest test for Souths this season. "This is probably our biggest challenge as far as not having the big guys there," Asotasi said.
"It will also test out the guys who have been on the bench or been waiting to get a run in the 17 and show Langy [coach John Lang] and the rest of the team what they can do."
The return date of Crocker has been a hot topic among the Souths faithful.
"Crock has a persisting painful achilles and there is a cloud over him for Sunday," club physiotherapist Errol Alcott said. "His achilles is basically not responding to treatment. We've tried to be conservative with it, tried aggressive treatment, it's just not responding.
"Shannan McPherson is progressing well, but two working weeks to get over a hamstring is not long, and there's also a question mark over him."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225877194725
JUST days after surging to third spot on the NRL ladder, the Rabbitohs are facing a personnel crisis.
Should dynamic No. 9 Issac Luke fail to beat a dangerous contact charge tonight at the judiciary for his hit on Johnathan Thurston, the Bunnies will have up to eight topline forwards unavailable for Sunday's all-important clash with Brisbane.
Luke's judiciary drama comes on top of the loss of in-form second-rowers Sam Burgess (England) and Dave Taylor (Queensland) to representative duty.
Powerful prop Scott Geddes (knee) and Ben Ross (neck) are out for the season.
Back-rowers Michael Crocker and Shannan McPherson are also struggling with injuries and are next to no chance of making a shock return.
To make matters worse for the Rabbitohs, new recruit Jaiman Lowe - rushed back from the Queensland Cup to fill the breach left by Ross - has a two-week suspension he needs to serve.
The only good news for Souths was the return of the impressive young forward David Tyrrell, who has joined capable but small utilities Luke Capewell and Jamie Simpson on the interchange bench for the Broncos match.
Luke was disappointed to be cited for his alleged late shot on Thurston during Monday's 32-4 triumph, but said the club's spare-parts forwards could get the job done, with or without him.
"We can still be intimidating up front this weekend. This is where the boys need to step up, and I believe they can," Luke said at Souths recovery.
"We've got used to having Dave, Scott and big Sam around, we just have to go to training now and work on things we need to.
"I'm disappointed with the charge because I don't want to miss any more games. I had a look at the replay this morning, I do connect with him but it happened so fast.
"He got up after a little while. If I had got penalised I could understand it, but to be charged stings me."
Skipper Roy Asotasi will have the job leading an inexperienced pack from the front and labelled the Broncos clash the toughest test for Souths this season. "This is probably our biggest challenge as far as not having the big guys there," Asotasi said.
"It will also test out the guys who have been on the bench or been waiting to get a run in the 17 and show Langy [coach John Lang] and the rest of the team what they can do."
The return date of Crocker has been a hot topic among the Souths faithful.
"Crock has a persisting painful achilles and there is a cloud over him for Sunday," club physiotherapist Errol Alcott said. "His achilles is basically not responding to treatment. We've tried to be conservative with it, tried aggressive treatment, it's just not responding.
"Shannan McPherson is progressing well, but two working weeks to get over a hamstring is not long, and there's also a question mark over him."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225877194725
