“Double blow”: Eels will be without their star forward for round one due to injury setbacks to Jesse Colquhoun and Kade Dykes.
The 22-year-old shattered his fourth metatarsal, the club revealed, and Cronulla’s medical department is consulting with specialists to determine when he can resume play.
Colquhoun, who recently inked a new deal committing to the team until 2026, is disappointed by this setback. Last year, the forward showed promise as he played six games, including one where he came off the bench in their loss to the Roosters in the elimination final.
More bad news for the Sharks: Kade Dykes had a “minor hamstring injury” against the Bulldogs, which will prevent him from playing in the first few games of the upcoming season. The young player is hurt because he was sidelined for the entire 2023 season because of an ACL tear.
At Parramatta, there is conflicting news. Although big player Wiremu Greig is anticipated to miss round one due to a hamstring injury sustained last week, a few of his teammates will play the Bulldogs the following week.
The team released a statement saying, “Bailey Simonsson has been cleared of injury despite leaving the field early during the Eels’ trial match win over the Titans.”
“Ryan Matterson is expected to be available for round one. He was forced to withdraw late from the final trial match due to a back issue.”