Calf injury set to end season for Broncos forward Ben Te'o
Matt Marshall | September 02, 2009 12:00am
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CRISIS: Broncos great Allan Langer helps Ben Te'o off the training paddock yesterday after the backrower suffered a suspected calf tear. / The Courier-Mail
BRONCO Ben Te'o feared he'd been "snipered" in the split second his 2009 season went up in smoke during a day of injury carnage at Red Hill. Te'o was one of four
Brisbane players forced to hobble off the training paddock yesterday as the glamour club's late-season gallop hit some untimely hurdles.
The in-form backrower
suffered a suspected calf tear - almost certainly ending his season ahead of Sunday night's final-round revenge mission against
Canberra.
Adding to the woes, key backline trio Israel Folau, Karmichael Hunt and Jharal Yow Yeh all aggravated ankle injuries.
While the backline trio are still likely to line up against the Raiders, a devastated Te'o is resigned to the likelihood his year is over.
The 22-year-old gingerly left the club's Red Hill headquarters on crutches, driven home by teammate Sam Thaiday.
"I thought Wal (halfback Peter Wallace) threw a rock at my calf - it felt like someone snipered me," Te'o said.
"I've torn it ... my calf is torn. I was just doing a drill and went back to push off the line and felt it go.
"Wal was behind me kicking and I turned around and said, 'What did you throw at me?'. Wal just looked at me and said, 'What?' and I tried to run but that was it, it was gone."
Te'o faces a tense four-day wait before scans will confirm the extent of the damage, but his place in Brisbane's squad to meet the Green Machine has already been taken by Joel Clinton.
Upbeat captain Darren Lockyer said the Broncos were well positioned to cover the absence.
"We're in a good position there - Joel and Josh McGuire are two guys chomping at the bit to have a run," Lockyer said.
"Ben's been playing great but I'm sure we're not going to lose too much."
Folau, who marked his return from a broken ankle last weekend, was yesterday troubled by swelling. He twice exited the fray after an unsuccessful attempt to switch from boots to runners.
Meanwhile, lucky charm
Yow Yeh, who sparked Brisbane's 16-10 win in Townsville last weekend, rolled his left ankle, with axed centre Steve Michaels filling in on the wing.
Then, in a further twist, Hunt hobbled off wincing and left with his foot on ice after hurting his troublesome right ankle during kicking "extras".
The Raiders will decide today whether to contest a grade-three contrary conduct charge levelled against flyer Daniel Vidot for attempting to knee Knights pivot Ben Rogers in a wild brawl at Canberra Stadium on Monday night.
Backrower Bronson Harrison is likely to accept an early guilty plea to take his place against the Broncos.
Rogers may have played his last game of the year and is
facing a four-match ban for striking.
Source:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,26013771-5003409,00.html
