Wests Tigers Face Major Setbacks in NRL Season
The Wests Tigers’ season has taken a major hit as key players face potential long-term absences due to injuries. Royce Hunt is set to spend time on the sidelines, with the possibility of missing the rest of the season if surgery is required for a pectoral injury. This comes as another blow for the team, following a heavy defeat against the Penrith Panthers, who handed Benji Marshall’s side a 68-0 thrashing.
The Tigers entered the NRL Round 14 game against the Panthers with several injuries already affecting their lineup. Players such as Alex Twal, Taylan May, and Adam Doueihi were absent, leaving the team to rely on stars like Api Koroisau, Jarome Luai, and Jahream Bula in the spine.
Unfortunately, the Tigers struggled throughout the match, suffering their worst defeat in the club’s history. Nathan Cleary and his teammates dominated at CommBank Stadium, leaving the Tigers reeling. Marshall is now dealing with additional injuries that could further disrupt the team’s season.
Hunt left the field during the second-half after attempting a tackle, grabbing at his arm which was caught in the tackle. The team revealed it’s a suspected pec injury, which typically requires six months of recovery if surgery is needed. Leading physio Brien Seeney described the injury as “traumatic” and suggested it could be a “moderate to high grade injury,” which is not a positive outlook.
This is a significant setback for the Tigers, especially since Twal is already out for four to six weeks due to a knee injury sustained last week. Hunt wasn’t the only injury for the Tigers on Sunday. Jock Madden also left the field during the game after hurting his elbow while attempting to tackle Brian To’o. The halfback tried to continue playing but eventually had to leave the field and watch the rest of the match from the bench.
Madden’s situation is slightly more hopeful, as Seeney suggested he might not miss more than three weeks if there is no fracture. There is even a chance he could return for the Round 15 game. Meanwhile, Doueihi is expected to come back within the next two weeks from his shoulder injury. However, if Madden is unavailable next week, Luai may have to take on the role of sole general for the team.
Despite these challenges, Marshall was visibly upset with the performance of his players. The 68-0 scoreline left NRL fans in shock, and Marshall was quick to voice his frustration. Speaking after the game, he criticized his team’s lack of effort and fundamentals.
“I don’t usually apologise to our fans and members, but that performance was just unacceptable,” Marshall said. “I’m actually surprised they stuck around as long as they did today because it was clear to me from the start, we weren’t there. Just fundamentals of the game. It looks like with the scoreline, we’re not trying. We’re so dumb with the ball, and we can’t defend our errors. We’re tackling so much, then we get brain-dead and we can’t compete. It’s disappointing and actually embarrassing.”
In addition to the injuries affecting the team, Starford To’a, Luke Laulilii, Heath Mason, and Tony Sukkar are also missing from the side. After the latest performance, Marshall hinted he would consider making changes as the club aims to secure a spot in the Top 8.
