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THE stop-start career of Benji Marshall has hit another hurdle after the Wests Tigers playmaker suffered suspected knee ligament damage with his first touch of the ball yesterday - sidelining him for up to three months.
Marshall, whose previous two seasons had been wrecked by shoulder problems, is believed to have suffered posterior cruciate damage after an innocuous hit-up in the Tigers' 24-16 win against St George Illawarra at the Sydney Football Stadium. While the more serious ACL damage was almost immediately ruled out, Marshall admitted to being devastated.
"I couldn't believe it," Marshall said. "I thought I prepared well. I trained well all pre-season and in the back of my mind I might have been worried about my shoulder, but I was never worried about my knee or nothing.
"It's new territory. I'm just glad it's not my shoulder. It's disappointing, but I'll survive. It's football I guess. It could be worse. I'm devastated, but I've been through worse."
Marshall will have scans as soon as today although it is unlikely he will require surgery. Tigers doctor Donald Kuah said Marshall would be out for six to 12 weeks.
The latest injury also places a Test return for Marshall against Australia at the SCG in May in doubt.
Asked yesterday if he felt he was cursed, Marshall said: "Someone was trying to say I killed a chinaman or something, but I definitely didn't break the mirror this morning and I haven't walked under any ladders lately. But it feels that way. After the tackle finished, it felt all right. Something must have twisted.
"It didn't feel that bad. I wanted to get back in the line. It just felt awkward, not painful. I tried to run again and it wouldn't run properly."
Tigers coach Tim Sheens may look to another injury-prone player in Mathew Head as Marshall's replacement, although rookie Tim Moltzen was impressive at five-eighth for most of yesterday's game.
"I'm not keen to rush Mat because of this but, obviously, it is a consideration," Sheens said. "But whatever decision I make, it's going to be a permanent position for a while."
Sheens said he felt for Marshall.
"That's footy, though," Sheens said. "You don't like to see it happen, but it's not season-ending. He'll be back."
Also at the crossroads is Gold Coast winger Chris Walker, who yesterday vowed to return from his latest setback - even though Titans officials fear the former Queensland representative will never play again.
A shattered Walker suffered his second Achilles tear in a year at training on Saturday, ruling him out for the rest of the season before he had returned from a previous injury to the same leg. He had surgery yesterday to have his Achilles reattached and will be in a brace for two months.
"It's definitely not career-ending," Walker told the Herald. "I've only just turned 28. My career's definitely not over. People don't finish when they're 28. They don't even finish when they're 29. The beauty of my career is I haven't played a lot of footy in the last few years. I'm as fresh as a daisy. I'm not even thinking about that. I'll be back in 2009 - and you know, if we make the grand final this year, or the semis - that's another 24 weeks away. Anything's possible.
"I know people will be talking about it, but I definitely haven't hung up the boots."
Titans boss Michael Searle admitted he feared Walker had played his last NRL game.
"When you have such a significant injury, there's always an element of doubt for a player to come back, not only physically but mentally," he said. "It is going to be tough for the bloke."
The round-one casualty ward also included Newcastle back-rower Steve Simpson, who might miss two months with a grade two/three medial ligament tear.
Simpson will see a specialist today. He is likely to be out for at least six weeks.
"It's a complete tear," Simpson said. "There wasn't a lot in it. My foot just stuck in the ground because of my body weight."
Cronulla prop Ben Ross had surgery to have a tooth reinserted and another straightened after a head clash with Manly's Josh Perry. He is in doubt for round two.
The Bulldogs are likely to lose Justin Tsoulos for Friday night's encounter against Souths due to a rib injury.
THE HIT LIST
Players sidelined through injury after round one:
Brisbane: Joel Clinton (ACL knee - 4 weeks), Corey Parker (PCL knee - scans today).
Bulldogs: Justin Tsoulos (ribs), Daryl Millard (shoulder - rd 4), Nick Kouparitsas (pectoral - indefinite).
Canberra: William Zillman (concussion), Neville Costigan (quadriceps), Brett Kelly (knee - rd 3).
Cronulla: Ben Ross (concussion - rd 3), Mitch Brown (foot - rd 4).
Gold Coast: Matt Petersen (hip - rd 6), Chris Walker (achilles - season), Matt Cross (face - indefinite), Gavin Cooper (hernia - indefinite).
Manly: Steve Matai (neck - rd 3).
Melbourne: Michael Crocker (shoulder - indefinite), Greg Inglis (shoulder - indefinite).
Newcastle: Steve Simpson (knee - rd 7), Ben Cross (wrist - rd 4), Mitchell Sargent (illness - indefinite).
New Zealand Warriors: Wade McKinnon (knee - season).
North Queensland: Ben Farrar (foot - rd 4).
Parramatta: Krisnan Inu (ankle), Ben Smith (knee/shoulder - indefinite), Chad Robinson (wrist - indefinite).
Penrith: Luke Lewis (hand - rd 4), Tim Grant (ankle - rd 10).
South Sydney: Craig Wing (shoulder - six to 12 weeks).
St George Illawarra: none.
Sydney Roosters: none.
Wests Tigers: Benji Marshall (PCL knee - six to 12 weeks), Dean Collis (hamstring - rd 6), Bryce Gibbs (ankle - rd 5), Shannon McDonnell (hamstring - rd 3), Ryan O'Hara (jaw - rd 7).
NB: Not all injuries occurred in round one.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/benji-brought-to-his-knees/2008/03/16/1205602194065.html
Marshall, whose previous two seasons had been wrecked by shoulder problems, is believed to have suffered posterior cruciate damage after an innocuous hit-up in the Tigers' 24-16 win against St George Illawarra at the Sydney Football Stadium. While the more serious ACL damage was almost immediately ruled out, Marshall admitted to being devastated.
"I couldn't believe it," Marshall said. "I thought I prepared well. I trained well all pre-season and in the back of my mind I might have been worried about my shoulder, but I was never worried about my knee or nothing.
"It's new territory. I'm just glad it's not my shoulder. It's disappointing, but I'll survive. It's football I guess. It could be worse. I'm devastated, but I've been through worse."
Marshall will have scans as soon as today although it is unlikely he will require surgery. Tigers doctor Donald Kuah said Marshall would be out for six to 12 weeks.
The latest injury also places a Test return for Marshall against Australia at the SCG in May in doubt.
Asked yesterday if he felt he was cursed, Marshall said: "Someone was trying to say I killed a chinaman or something, but I definitely didn't break the mirror this morning and I haven't walked under any ladders lately. But it feels that way. After the tackle finished, it felt all right. Something must have twisted.
"It didn't feel that bad. I wanted to get back in the line. It just felt awkward, not painful. I tried to run again and it wouldn't run properly."
Tigers coach Tim Sheens may look to another injury-prone player in Mathew Head as Marshall's replacement, although rookie Tim Moltzen was impressive at five-eighth for most of yesterday's game.
"I'm not keen to rush Mat because of this but, obviously, it is a consideration," Sheens said. "But whatever decision I make, it's going to be a permanent position for a while."
Sheens said he felt for Marshall.
"That's footy, though," Sheens said. "You don't like to see it happen, but it's not season-ending. He'll be back."
Also at the crossroads is Gold Coast winger Chris Walker, who yesterday vowed to return from his latest setback - even though Titans officials fear the former Queensland representative will never play again.
A shattered Walker suffered his second Achilles tear in a year at training on Saturday, ruling him out for the rest of the season before he had returned from a previous injury to the same leg. He had surgery yesterday to have his Achilles reattached and will be in a brace for two months.
"It's definitely not career-ending," Walker told the Herald. "I've only just turned 28. My career's definitely not over. People don't finish when they're 28. They don't even finish when they're 29. The beauty of my career is I haven't played a lot of footy in the last few years. I'm as fresh as a daisy. I'm not even thinking about that. I'll be back in 2009 - and you know, if we make the grand final this year, or the semis - that's another 24 weeks away. Anything's possible.
"I know people will be talking about it, but I definitely haven't hung up the boots."
Titans boss Michael Searle admitted he feared Walker had played his last NRL game.
"When you have such a significant injury, there's always an element of doubt for a player to come back, not only physically but mentally," he said. "It is going to be tough for the bloke."
The round-one casualty ward also included Newcastle back-rower Steve Simpson, who might miss two months with a grade two/three medial ligament tear.
Simpson will see a specialist today. He is likely to be out for at least six weeks.
"It's a complete tear," Simpson said. "There wasn't a lot in it. My foot just stuck in the ground because of my body weight."
Cronulla prop Ben Ross had surgery to have a tooth reinserted and another straightened after a head clash with Manly's Josh Perry. He is in doubt for round two.
The Bulldogs are likely to lose Justin Tsoulos for Friday night's encounter against Souths due to a rib injury.
THE HIT LIST
Players sidelined through injury after round one:
Brisbane: Joel Clinton (ACL knee - 4 weeks), Corey Parker (PCL knee - scans today).
Bulldogs: Justin Tsoulos (ribs), Daryl Millard (shoulder - rd 4), Nick Kouparitsas (pectoral - indefinite).
Canberra: William Zillman (concussion), Neville Costigan (quadriceps), Brett Kelly (knee - rd 3).
Cronulla: Ben Ross (concussion - rd 3), Mitch Brown (foot - rd 4).
Gold Coast: Matt Petersen (hip - rd 6), Chris Walker (achilles - season), Matt Cross (face - indefinite), Gavin Cooper (hernia - indefinite).
Manly: Steve Matai (neck - rd 3).
Melbourne: Michael Crocker (shoulder - indefinite), Greg Inglis (shoulder - indefinite).
Newcastle: Steve Simpson (knee - rd 7), Ben Cross (wrist - rd 4), Mitchell Sargent (illness - indefinite).
New Zealand Warriors: Wade McKinnon (knee - season).
North Queensland: Ben Farrar (foot - rd 4).
Parramatta: Krisnan Inu (ankle), Ben Smith (knee/shoulder - indefinite), Chad Robinson (wrist - indefinite).
Penrith: Luke Lewis (hand - rd 4), Tim Grant (ankle - rd 10).
South Sydney: Craig Wing (shoulder - six to 12 weeks).
St George Illawarra: none.
Sydney Roosters: none.
Wests Tigers: Benji Marshall (PCL knee - six to 12 weeks), Dean Collis (hamstring - rd 6), Bryce Gibbs (ankle - rd 5), Shannon McDonnell (hamstring - rd 3), Ryan O'Hara (jaw - rd 7).
NB: Not all injuries occurred in round one.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/benji-brought-to-his-knees/2008/03/16/1205602194065.html
