Walsh sends major injury scare in last-minute madness; Roosters ...

Canberra half Jamal Fogarty’s season may have come to an early end after suffering an eye socket injury in the loss to the Broncos.

The Raiders playmaker is set to have scans to detect whether there is any structural damage.

Fogarty’s injury comes as it was made public of the halfback’s desire to test the open market.

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Meanwhile, the Roosters recieved some great news regarding the health of Joey Manu, who hobbled off the ground with a hamstring injury against the Tigers on Saturday night.

Manu is reportedly rated a 50/50 chance of lining up in the must-win clash against Souths next Saturday, according to the SMH.

In any other circumstances, Manu would likely be rested as he faces just a six-day turnaround, but due to the importance of the match, the Golden Boot winner is set to be named by the Roosters.

SHARKS’ NICHO BOOST

The Sharks have been handed a huge boost, with coach Craig Fitzgibbon explaining club medicos are “confident” Hynes will return in Round 27.

The reigning Dally M Medallist was a late scratching this round due a quad injury suffered during training.

With a finals spot secured, Fitzgibbon also confirmed his coaching staff would have considered playing their star halfback if their next game was a crucial finals clash.

“At this stage of the season, it’s kind of a risky ball game to throw him out there, and with a bit more time we might have been able to do that,” Fitzgibbon said.

“But it’s not worth it at this stage of the season, so we will take the safest bet there.

“We are pretty confident next week (he will be able to return).

“We might have pushed that a bit. Depends on the functionality there was. He still trained so it wasn’t enough to stop him, so we might have pushed that.

“But we still thought it was too soon.”

The Sharks will face the Knights on Sunday afternoon.

WALSH’S INJURY SCARE

Reece Walsh has sent a majory injury scare through the Brisbane Broncos when he hobbled off the field late in their clash against the Canberra Raiders.

Walsh crossed over for a try in the 76th minute but appeared to be in some strife when he rose to his feet.

The Broncos star looked to be clutching at his knee and required some assistance from a trainer as he made his way back to the 50-metre mark.

He also got crushed in a bruising late hit from Raiders propo Joseph Tapine which could have left him even worse for wear, but Walsh brushed it off.

In a post-game interview, Walsh insisted his hobbling was just a bit of “carry-on.”

RAIDERS STAR ‘NOT IN A GREAT WAY’

Canberra Raiders star Josh Papali’i came off worse for wear in a tackle and had to leave the field to undergo an HIA.

Papali’i made a tackle on the Brisbane Broncos’ Brendan Piakura, but the Raiders star looked in serious pain and struggled to get up off the turf.

Play continued around Papali’i before he was helped off the field by a trainer and was sent for an HIA.

“Not in a great way there,” Fox League’s Dan Ginnane said.

“He’s clutching at the ribs, but you see the indication from the trainer, HIA perhaps.”

In a pleasing sign for the Raiders, Papali’i returned to the game in the 69th minute.

Josh Papali'i went off for an HIA but eventually returned to the game. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied

ROOSTERS’ HORROR MANU BLOW

The Roosters have been handed a horrow injury blow with Joey Manu hobbling off the field with a hamstring injury against the Tigers.

The Kiwi international pulled up lame, cleaning up a kick in the first half while filling in at fullback for James Tedesco.

The Tricolours need to win every game to play finals football and will now be sweating on Manu’s scans ahead of a Round 27 clash with the Rabbitohs.

“Manu is gone, this is big for the Roosters. Already Tedesco sidelined, now Manu goes,”

“The big show next week just lost another superstar... he knew he was in trouble.”

“Any sort of muscular injury to the leg, it’s hard to back up next week... Joseph Suaalii, he’ll go back to fullback,” Shane Flanagan said.

Joey Manu left the field with a hamstring injury against the Tigers.Source: FOX SPORTS

STORM’S NERVOUS WAIT

The Melbourne Storm will be anxiously sweating over Jahrome Hughes after the star halfback hobbled off with a knee injury against the Gold Coast Titans.

Hughes was seen wincing in pain with a trainer alongside him in the backfield before he was eventually forced out of the contest with just under ten minutes remaining.

The New Zealand international soon returned from the sheds and was seen with a large bag of ice wrapped on his right knee as he took a seat on the bench.

Fox League sideline reporter Lara Pitt claimed the Storm are “hopeful” it isn’t a serious issue although Hughes will go for scans tomorrow to determine the full extent of the injury.

“At this stage they are hopeful it is just a low-grade medial issue,” Pitt said.

“I was following him back up the tunnel before he took his place on the bench. He looked in quite a bit of discomfort with that right knee and heavily limping.

“He will have scans tomorrow.”

The Storm ran out 37-16 winners over the Titans.

Jahrome Hughes hobbled off with a knee injury. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied

STAR EEL SET TO UNDERGO KNEE SURGERY

Eels star Clint Gutherson is set to undergo knee surgery after suffering a meniscus tear in Thursday night’s win over Penrith.

Coach Brad Arthur confirmed the news on Triple M, claiming the injury is “unfortunate” for Gutherson’s representative opportunities regarding potential selection for the Kangaroos side for October and November’s Pacific Championships.

“It’s a meniscus, so he would have struggled to play if we had to play next week,’’ Arthur said.

“Knowing Gutho, and I’ve already spoken to Gutho, he said there’s no way in the world he would miss a final.

“That’s the type of person he is. He’s just so reliable for me.

“He’s like an extra coach and an on-field coach for me, he drives our messages and doesn’t go away from the script.

“But he’s done. He’ll have an operation.

“It won’t hurt him and I know it’s unfortunate for rep opportunities, but it won’t hurt him because I tried to pull him out of parts of pre-season training this year and he wouldn’t have a bar of it.”

Clint Gutherson will undergo knee surgery. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

GUN WARRIOR’S HAMSTRING INJURY

The Warriors have copped a major blow on the eve of finals with gun five-eighth Luke Metcalf suffering a hamstring injury Friday’s clash with the Dragons.

Metcalf left the field just one minute into the second half and immediately clutched at his left hamstring. He was later seen heading up the tunnel.

It’s a cruel blow for the 24-year-old, who missed the first 10 weeks of the season with a hamstring injury.

Coach Andrew Webster confirmed that Metcalf had injured his other hamstring this time around.

“It’s not the one he’s done in the past. It’s his other side, so it’s the first time he’s done that one. If there’s anything good out of a bad situation, that’s probably good news,” Webster said post-match

“We’ll just wait and see…. we actually don’t know anymore until he gets scans.

“We’ll wait for the swelling goes down until we do that so we can see what the can looks like properly.”

Meanwhile, in the same game, Dragons debutant Sione Finau was carried off after suffering a lower leg injury.

Finau, whose debut was confirmed an hour before kick-off, fell awkwardly after leaping for a ball.

The 21-year-old’s right leg was checked out by a Dragons trainer before he was carried off.

“This is a sad sight,” Fox League’s Warren Smith said in commentary.

PANTHERS’ LUAI RELIEF

Jarome Luai is set for a stint on the sidelines with a shoulder injury but the Panthers have received some good news on a potential return date for the star five-eighth.

Luai confirmed in an interview with The Sydney Morning Heraldthat there is “no way” his season is over as the 26-year-old instead targets a preliminary-final return.

It would mean the Panthers could only have to play two games without their star five-eighth, should they win in week one of the finals and earn a week off.

The report from The Herald claims Luai’s injury is similar to one that Nathan Cleary suffered in 2021, with the Panthers halfback later returning to guide the team to grand final glory.

Jack Cogger is likely to come in as the replacement for Luai for the time being.

The Panthers confirmed later on Friday afternoon that while Luai had avoided immediate surgery there was “significant damage” to his shoulder.

“Luai will immediately begin rehabilitation on the injured shoulder in a bid to return during the NRL Finals Series,” the club added.

Luai’s injury came on Thursday night when he attempted to barge his way over the tryline before Eels backrower Bryce Cartwright landed on his arm awkwardly.

Almost instantly Cartwright signalled his opponent had suffered a shoulder injury and both commentators grimaced upon watching a replay of the incident.

Fox League’s Jake Duke confirmed Luai’s shoulder had been popped back in to place but the extent of the injury remains unknown.

“It’s a blow for Penrith... oh boy, the weight of Cartwright came down on the back of his shoulder,” Michael Ennis said.

“Hurts to watch, you heard the call of ‘shoulder, shoulder’. The opponents were aware he was in trouble,” Andrew Voss said.

“This is a sad sight here for the Panthers, he is one of their main men... you’d have to worry.”

“It’s one of those lightning bolts you just don’t need in this position, you can correct your form but you can’t lose class players like that for the finals, that could be a massive blow,” Anthony Griffin said.

Meanwhile, Eels skipper Clint Gutherson left the field with a knee injury which was heavily strapped pre-match.

He was labelled the “best player on the ground” by league legend Michael Ennis but hobbled off in the 66th minute.

Read on for the full NRL Casualty Ward.

INJURED IN ROUND 26

Jarome Luai (shoulder) — Preliminary finals

Clint Gutherson (knee) — TBC

Sione Finau (ankle) — TBC

Luke Metcalf (hamstring) — TBC

Pat Carrigan (foot) — TBC

Jacob Kiraz (lower back) — TBC

Braidon Burns (hamstring) — TBC

Jahrome Hughes (knee) — TBC

Joey Manu (calf) — TBC

Jamal Fogarty (eye socket) — TBC

FULL CASUALTY WARD

BRONCOS

Adam Reynolds (calf) — TBC

Pat Carrigan (foot) — TBC

RAIDERS

Corey Harawira-Naera (seizure/medical) — indefinite

Danny Levi (jaw) — season

Elijah Anderson (knee) — season

Jamal Fogarty (eye socket) — TBC

BULLDOGS

Jacob Kiraz (lower back) — TBC

Braidon Burns (hamstring) — TBC

Ryan Sutton (neck) — TBC

Karl Oloapu (neck) — indefinite

SHARKS

Oregon Kaufusi (finger) — TBC

William Kennedy (hamstring) — finals

Teig Wilton (knee) — season

Kade Dykes (knee) — season

Dale Finucane (biceps) – season

DOLPHINS

Jesse Bromwich (groin) — Round 27

Ray Stone (toe) — Round 27

Brenko Lee (ankle) — indefinite

Jeremy Marshall-King (shoulder) — season

Tom Gilbert (shoulder) — season

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TITANS

Sam Verrills (shoulder) — season

Tanah Boyd (shoulder) — season

Erin Clark (shoulder) — season

Beau Fermor (knee) — season

Jayden Campbell (knee) — season

Phil Sami (foot) — season

SEA EAGLES

Sione Finau (ankle) — TBC

Christian Tuipulotu (knee) — Round 26-27

Cooper Johns (biceps) — Round 26-27

Taniela Paseka (knee) — finals

Josh Aloiai (shoulder) — season

Reuben Garrick (back) — season

Tom Trbojevic (pectoral) — season

Matt Lodge (knee) — season

Karl Lawton (shoulder) — season

STORM

Jahrome Hughes (knee) — TBC

Aaron Pene (ankle) — indefinite

George Jennings (knee) — season

Dean Ieremia (knee) — season

KNIGHTS

Krystian Mapapalangi (shoulder) — season

Bailey Hodgson (shoulder) — season

Jayden Brailey (knee) — season

COWBOYS

Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder) — Round 27

Semi Valemai (knee) — TBC

Valentine Holmes (suspension) — finals

Tom Chester (knee) — season

EELS

Clint Gutherson (knee) — TBC

Andrew Davey (head knock) — season

Zac Cini (hand) — finals

Matt Doorey (ankle) — finals

Mitchell Moses (eye socket) — finals

Josh Hodgson (neck) — season

PANTHERS

Dylan Edwards (rested) — Round 27

Sunia Turuva (rested) — Round 27

Izack Tago (leg) — Round 27

Taylan May (knee) — season

Jarome Luai (shoulder) — Preliminary finals

RABBITOHS

Jed Cartwright (back) — Round 26

Latrell Mitchell (suspension) — Round 27

Tom Burgess (suspension) — finals

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DRAGONS

Sione Finau (ankle) — TBC

Jack de Belin (suspension) — Round 27

Jayden Sullivan (hamstring) — Round 27

Tyrell Fuimaono (hip) — season

Cody Ramsey (illness) — season

Jaydn Su’A (shoulder) — season

Jack Bird (shoulder) — season

ROOSTERS

Joey Manu (calf) — TBC

James Tedesco (head knock) — Round 27

Naufahu Whyte (knee) — indefinite

Paul Momirovski (shoulder) — indefinite

Connor Watson (knee) — indefinite

Sitili Tupouniua (neck) — indefinite

WARRIORS

Luke Metcalf (hamstring) — TBC

Mitch Barnett (knee laceration) — Round 27

Jazz Tevaga (hamstring) — TBC

Ali Leiataua (hamstring) — late season

Brayden Wiliame (leg) — late season

Valingi Kepu (foot) — season

TIGERS

Charlie Staines (hamstring) — TBC

Luke Brooks (calf) — TBC

Adam Doueihi (knee) — season