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2023 Rabbitohs Injuries and Suspensions

callmack1

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Sydney Morning Herald reporting that Jai is a chance for Good Friday next week but it more likely to return against the Dolphins in Round 7.
 

callmack1

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Sounds like Tatola is sweet after last night. JD said it was always the plan for him to just play 40 and then we'd only use him in the second half if we really had to. We didn't so all was good. Thank god for that.

No word on Thompson yet but he was jumping around in the sheds after the game so hopefully it's not too bad for him either. Time will tell.
 

callmack1

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Junior Tatola has a grade 2 Medial ligament tear in his knee and will be out for 4 weeks.
Pretty gutted with this. Huge blow heading into games where we really need him. We simply cannot take a trick at the moment and our luck with middle forward injuries so far this year has been absolutely rotten. Same as Round 3, we just get him back, huge in, then he gets injured again.

I guess there could be an argument that we rushed him back too early and that's poor form from the medical staff if so. However, I'm not going to make that claim. This injury came from a clear hip drop tackle so could have happened to anyone.

Fuming that it wasn't charged, and the one on Thompson too. Where is the consistency?? We're now going to be without two players because of hip drop tackles. Fuming!!

Thank God Jai is back next week. But it seems to be 'gain one lose one' at the moment. Hopefully our luck turns.

In other news, I do have to admit that Tom is lucky to get away with this one, he probably should have been fined to be fair,

Replay catches Tom Burgess' apparent genital hold as rival blows up: https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/r...p/news-story/afcb056ee88e81ba257d7856a095af7e
 

callmack1

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From Zero Tackle. Some positive news and I hope JD is right in what he says here.

I find it a bit of a shock that Tatola is touch and go for next week after it was initially said he'd miss four weeks. I hope we're not looking to rush him back too early.

Rabbitohs provide injury update on Koloamatangi, Tatola as Origin forward returns

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are hopeful that Keaon Koloamatangi has sustained no damage to his ankle after sitting out the final half hour during Thursday night's victory over the Dolphins in Brisbane.

Koloamatangi was brought from the field after an awkward tackle at the hands of Ray Stone and Kodi Nikorima, his ankle seeming to twist underneath the tackle.

Replays suggested a hint of a hip drop from Stone, although he didn't fall with his weight directly on the backs of the legs of Koloamatangi. The tackle wasn't penalised or placed on report by referee Ashley Klein after immediate consultation with the bunker while the second-rower received treatment.

Koloamatangi, who is well and truly on Brad Fittler's State of Origin radar, was sighted with his ankle in a bucket of ice at the end of the game, however, coach Jason Demetriou hinted that he may have been able to bring Koloamatangi back on if the game was close, although the star forward will need assessment on Friday.

"I don't think he is too bad," Demetriou said.

"Obviously the score was in our favour so I didn't want to risk him. We have a week to have a full turnaround so I'm pretty sure he will be okay.

"It wasn't worth pushing him, but we will assess him tomorrow and see where he is at."

Demetriou also confirmed Tevita Tatola is approaching his return from injury as the Rabbitohs approach full strength for what could be the first time this season.

"He [Tatola] has some work to do over the weekend and early next weekend but we aren't going to push him. If he isn't next week, he will definitely be the week after," Demetriou said.

"We will assess him early in the week next week and see whether he is right for Penrith. If not, he will be right to go for Brisbane the following week."

Demetriou admitted he was excited to see the Rabbitohs forward pack arrive at full strength, with a healthy competition for spots ahead given the form of players who have been in the side during the opening rounds.

"We haven't had our best 17 middles available. We get Liam Knight back too in the next couple of weeks. He will start playing some footy through reserve grade and he has been outstanding for us in his rehab," Demetriou said.

"He is another one who will bolster the pack. The guys who are there are doing a good job, so there will be some good competition for spots."

The win over the Dolphins also saw the return of Jai Arrow, with Demetriou stating that it helped the games of both Cody Walker and Damien Cook having the experienced Queensland State of Origin campaigner on the park.

"It really helped having Jai [Arrow] back tonight, and getting Junior [Tevita Tatola] back will make a big difference as well. You can see the influence Jai had on Cam [Cameron Murray] and Cookie [Damien Cook] as well. Freed those guys up a little bit so we are building the way we want to be, but we have some really tough games coming up and have some areas to improve in if we want to get the results in those," Demetriou added.

Arrow topped the run metres for South Sydney with 181 from just 16 runs. 68 of those metres came as post-contact, while the forward also made six tackle busts.

Murray, who had one of his best performances of the year in the middle with 159 metres, six tackle breaks and 34 tackles without a miss, said Arrow is the sort of player he wants to play alongside, even though he was lacking in match fitness for the Dolphins' clash.

"I love playing with him. His effort areas are so good and he works so hard for his teammates. He puts his body on the line for his teammates and he is just one of those players that you want to run out with," Murray said.

"You saw tonight that he just gave his all. He was pretty tired out there in moments. He obviously doesn't have the match fitness that the rest of us have, but he just keeps going.

"I think efforts like his and Davvy [Moale] was really good through the middle too. He is taking a step forward with his game. I think the efforts off the back of players like them give us field position and give opportunities for Cody [Walker] and Latrell [Mitchell] to ice on the back of shapes.

"It was a really good performance from those two in particular and we have a bit to improve on as well, so we will go back to the drawing board and hopefully start a bit better next week."

While Knight will start off in reserve grade, it's tipped that Tatola's return will likely see Thomas Burgess return to the bench, with one of Jed Cartwright or Daniel Suluka-Fifita dropping out of the side as the Dolphins, with Arrow also likely to start in the coming weeks after being a late demotion to the bench for the game against the Dolphins.

The Rabbitohs have an enormous clash next week against the Penrith Panthers at home, before they play the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm in the following two weeks.
 

callmack1

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Also, just fines for Murray and Moale thankfully,

Judiciary report - Murray, Moale handed fines: https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01...iary-charges-suspension-news-updates-details/

We should fight Cam's one. There was nothing in it and it's this sort of shit that can bite you later on in a Season if there's another charge. We always except BS judiciary stuff and I'd like to see us take a stronger stance.

If you lose, it is still only a $1500 fine. Fight it!!
 

callmack1

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Apparently Keaon's injury is much worse than they initially expected and he's out for eight weeks.

Huge blow!

Can these injuries please just piss off?!! We seriously cannot catch a break at the moment in the forwards, it sucks. When are we next going to have a full strength side?! Ughhhhhhh.

Man that hurts but I guess it is what it is. We have to cop it, wish Keaon a speedy recovery and move on for now. Next man up.

Jai goes to the right edge for mine. That's purely because we need someone there who knows what they are doing and is solid defensively. I'm not disrespecting guys like Cartwright, Chee-Kam or Lovett when I say that, but we just need to keep that right edge defence as solid as possible, especially the next three weeks.

We're just going to lose the Ilias/Koloamatangi combination which has been a big strength of our attack this year which sucks but I have more faith in someone like Jai building a formidable combination with Lachy.

Hopefully Tatola is back soon (he's a chance this week but definitely back against the Broncos), and then we are partially set for a bit. Just pray for no more of these bloody injuries.
 

Rabbits20

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NRL Early Mail: Rabbitohs lose Koloamatangi​

South Sydney must find a way to fill the huge hole left by second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi.

Dean Ritchie and Michael Carayannis
Daily Telegraph
April 16, 2023 - 4:06PM

South Sydney has been rocked by a long-term injury to key forward and NSW candidate, Keaon Koloamatangi.

Koloamatangi sustained syndesmosis during a tackle inlast Thursday night’s match against the Dolphins in Brisbane.

He is expected to be missing for six to eight games but that could extend to ten matches if surgery is required.

It will end Koloamatangi’s bid to play for NSW in State of Origin I on May 31.

Koloamatangi’s absence will hurt South Sydney’s chances of defeating Penrith in a Thursday night blockbuster at Accor Stadium.

He was spotted in a moon boot inside South Sydney’s new Centre of Excellence at Maroubra on Sunday morning.

Keaon Koloamatangi (2R) pictured in a moon boot at South Sydney's new centre of excellence in Matraville in Sydney. Picture Newscorp Daily Telegraph / Gaye Gerard

Keaon Koloamatangi (2R) pictured in a moon boot at South Sydney’s new centre of excellence in Matraville in Sydney. Picture Newscorp Daily Telegraph / Gaye Gerard

Despite suggestions the tackle which injured Koloamatangi was a hip drop, Dolphins forward Ray Stone avoided any change from NRL match review committee.

Souths coach Jason Demetriou has several options in his bid to replace Koloamatangi.

Backrowers Jai Arrow or Jed Cartwright could move from the bench to the starting pack for Koloamatangi with Michael Chee Kam a candidate to enter the final 17.

While Souths will not comment publicly, there is a feeling within the club that Stone was fortunate to escape being charged for a hip drop.

Koloamatangi stayed down after the tackle and immediately came from the field. Dolphins player Kodi Nikorima was also involved in the tackle.

NSW coach Brad Fittler has a strong and healthy respect for Koloamatangi.
 

callmack1

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Liva looking very fit!! Apparently, he's not far away at all now, very exciting!

Great to see Shaq back out there. Really hoping he's back soon for us too.

We'll need all hands on deck during the Origin period.
 

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