The Wests Tigers have been dealt another blow with flyer Charlie Staines out for up to 12 weeks.
The club on Wednesday confirmed Staines suffered a small bowel perforation in the second half against the Sea Eagles.
He incredibly finished the game but found himself in considerable pain after the match.
Staines was taken to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and is currently in a stable condition.
The club said he expects to miss between 8-12 weeks.
David Nofoaluma has been recalled on the wing after Staines injury.
“My respect for wingers has gone up another level,” Tigers forward David Klemmer said on Wednesday.
“The adrenaline must’ve got him through but as soon as the game stopped, it must have hit him like a ton of bricks.
“I told him that he’d had a good game, then he had a shower and we had a function after the game. I saw him walking out with the doc. I said, ‘I’ll see you after’, and that was it.
“We found out when we came in for review (on Monday) that he was in hospital. Things happened pretty quick.”
Klemmer said there was no indication during the game that Staines was hurt.
“He was screaming for the ball and pushing everyone out of the way to get the ball and take a carry to help the team out,” Klemmer said.
“That’s just the type of bloke he is. He gives it his all.”
EELS CONFIRM RCG BLOW
The Eels have confirmed star prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard will be sidelined for eight to then weeks with a groin injury.
Parramatta provided the update on Wednesday after the representative forward was sent for further scans.
Campbell-Gillard was on the end of what looked like a hip-drop tackle from Payne Haas and fell awkwardly.
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During the Eels’ clash with the Broncos, Fox League’s sideline reporter Jake Duke reported that Campbell-Gillard looked to be in pain as he took a long time to make his way to the sheds.
He was seen after the game being assisted to stand and sit by the Eels’ medical staff with Arthur saying in his post-game press conference: “I know we will be without ‘Reg’ for a long time.”
Duke later confirmed that Campbell-Gillard had gone to hospital with a potential hip fracture.
The Eels will also be without outside back Bailey Simonsson, who copped a head knock in the first half while trying to tackle Selwyn Cobbo.
A pair of wingers from the Roosters-Dragons ANZAC Day thriller are likely set for some time on the sideline.
Dragons’ Tautau Moga, who has had a long and well-documented battle with injuries throughout his career, “popped” the AC joint in his right shoulder in the process of scoring his third try in the second half.
He came from the field soon after and did not return.
“He (Moga) is in a bit of trouble because they think it popped out or protruded,” Dragons coach Anthony Griffin said.
“He’s in a bit of pain.”
Meanwhile, Roosters coach Trent Robinson has said “it doesn’t feel great at the moment” regarding Daniel Tupou’s injured hamstring.
Tupou came off in the 56th minute, gingerly walking off the ground.
“I don’t think it’s great with that hammy. It looked like the sniper in the crowd,” Robinson said.
“He hasn’t had one of those before so it doesn’t feel great at the moment.”
CLEARY’S MYSTERY INJURY
A battered Nathan Cleary pushed through a groin complaint in Penrith’s 20-18 loss to South Sydney on Thursday night.
The superstar halfback’s injury wasn’t known until teammate Stephen Crichton stepped up to take Penrith’s first conversion of the night on the stroke of half time.
Panthers legend Greg Alexander — who is on the board — couldn’t give any insight into what was bothering Cleary during Fox League’s half-time show, but Cooper Cronk suggested something wasn’t right.
“Normally Nathan doesn’t wear any compression garments underneath but he’s wearing groin strapping so he might be carrying a bit of an injury into the game,” he said.
But Alexander did add: “You would think whatever the problem is, it’s not that bad because he’s out there playing. But kicking might aggravate it.”
Fox League sideline commentator James Hooper reported early in the second half that Cleary did carry a “minor” injury into the game.
“Some news out of the premiers’ sheds is that Nathan Cleary has carried just a minor groin niggle into this game — that’s why we saw Stephen Crichton take that goal-kick,” he said.
Cleary finished the game a little more worse for wear after he copped a head knock and was split to the side of his eye.
Coach Ivan Cleary said in his post-game press conference that Nathan had “a bit of a twinge goal-kicking yesterday” so that’s why Crichton took on the duties.
Meanwhile, powerhouse winger Sunia Turuva left the field in the 73rd minute after rolling his ankle.
Cleary didn’t have an update on Turuva’s injury.
