Parramatta have suffered another body blow with the news that Clint Gutherson is to miss over a month of footy after having minor surgery on his knee.
The fullback had been playing through the problem, requiring fluid to be drained from his knee, and the club has chosen to act now rather than prolong the issue.
He limped out of their final game of 2023 with a knee problem that also required surgery, making this his second in less than a year.
The Eels have the bye this weekend and so can wait on naming a replacement, but it is likely that rookie Blaize Talagi will slot in. He featured in NSW Cup at fullback before earning a shot in the NRL.
Parramatta are now without Gutherson and halfback Mitch Moses for a crucial period that includes the visit of the Broncos straight after the bye and a clash with Melbourne at Magic Round.
Souths set for Demetriou call as Ilias offered exit
South Sydney have given Lachlan Ilias permission to look elsewhere, as the NRL confirmed it had the power to block any attempt by Latrell Mitchell to skip State of Origin.
In what looms as a crucial week for the Rabbitohs, general manager Mark Ellison has flown to England to finalise a deal with St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd for next year.
That has had immediate flow-on effects, with the Rabbitohs granting permission for Ilias to look elsewhere for 2025.
Dropped after two rounds this year, Ilias broke his leg while playing reserve grade this month.
But after being prioritised as South Sydney’s long-term halfback over Adam Reynolds two and a half years ago, it is unlikely he will see out the final year of his contract in 2025.
But there is a potential hurdle in the form of the NRL’s rules.
Speaking hypothetically given there has been no request from Mitchell, NRL officials confirmed to AAP on Monday that players are contractually obliged to make themselves available for selection.
Clubs must also release players if picked.
Some exemptions are allowed. Kalyn Ponga pulled out for Queensland last year on medical grounds, after an extended period out of action following repeated concussions.
South Sydney centre Jack Wighton has also made himself unavailable, but that only came after a permanent retirement.
But neither of those circumstances are likely to apply to Mitchell, if he does push to make himself unavailable.
The Rabbitohs fullback has missed the past two matches through suspension, but will return in round 10, well before Michael Maguire picks his side for Origin I on June 5.
Mitchell did not feature in NSW’s back-to-back series losses, but was selected at centre when last fit for Origin in 2021.
The NRL is not concerned that skipping Origin would become a wider trend, with match payments of $30,000 per game.
But they are also well aware of the importance of the series to the game’s financial bottom line.
NRL bosses therefore remain firmly of the view that the game’s best players should feature in Origin, not least because of the broadcast revenue it generates.
Atkinson learning NRL trade
After managing just one appearance off the bench in an abortive maiden season with Melbourne, Daniel Atkinson feared his NRL dream might be over as soon as it had begun.
The Queensland-born playmaker was released by the Storm at the end of 2021 and returned to his home state, where he busied himself in a trade.
Atkinson was mixing carpentry with playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons when he took a call from Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon and the club’s general manager of football Darren Mooney.
“I haven’t looked back,” he said.
The 23-year-old admits there were “definitely” times he thought a future as a professional rugby league player had passed him by.
“Going to work at 6.30 and then going to train, I’m like, ‘Geez it’s getting tough’,” he said.
“But boys do it their whole life.”
Despite playing in all three of Italy’s group games at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, Atkinson – who qualifies for the European nation through his mother – had to wait until Sunday’s crushing victory over Canberra for his first NRL start.
He was called into Sharks squad at late notice to fill the unfamiliar five-eighth role vacated by Braydon Trindall, who was sidelined after his midweek drink-driving charges.
While Atkinson failed to trouble the scorers, the debutant proved a more than capable sidekick for his red-hot halves partner Nicho Hynes.
The pair dovetailed well as the ladder-leading Sharks cruised to a 40-0 victory.
Hynes was scintillating – scoring two tries, assisting three more and breaking five tackles – while Atkinson was organised, error-free.
“He kept it simple. That was the role we had for him,” coach Fitzgibbon said after the match.
“He got his kicking game when needed. He managed to find some runs out of nowhere, he almost poked his nose through the line a couple of times.
“But to walk into a team in the space of a week and find some connection with Nicho, I thought that was pretty impressive.”
Atkinson and Hynes overlapped while at the Storm during 2021.
“When I first came to the Sharks, he was the first bloke I knew so we’ve got a good connection,” Atkinson said.
With the stood-down Trindall potentially set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines, Fitzgibbon said Atkinson had done enough to make the role his own.
The rookie halfback is eager to make the most of his opportunity, even as he continues to work on his carpentry skills outside the game.
“I’m trying to get TAFE started, just doing a bit of theory here and there when I’ve got some time off,” he said.
with AAP
astro
Roar Rookie
Yeah maybe...I though the stats are pretty compelling though, and talk to a problem Parra have with the age/fitness of their forwards.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
Widdop, did go well, I will give you that. I would say Williams was way short of expectations as were other backs like Tomkins, Hardaker, Gildart, Callum Watkins and Ryan Hall. Dom Young again is the outlier there, with the only other pommy backs i can think of in the NRL era who have done well are Farnsworth and Jack Reed - but they largely grew up in Australia.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
He’s got flaws, but the guy can play. Souths have given up on him way too soon. Hes only played 53 games, playmakers don’t find their fit at this level usually until they’ve played at least 100 games. I’d take him at the Eels.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Poor old Gutho was creeping around like an old man against Manly with his crook knee. He did his best to get the Eels over the line before the bye but was let down by some of his mates.
Tez
Roar Rookie
Demetriou is gone, replaced by Ben Hornby as interim coach. As for Ilias, young man go to a club who needs you, wants you, and has a strong coach with a good culture. It will improve you as a player. Player power and a weak coach cruelled your chances at the Bunnies. Maybe Cowboys, Roosters and Broncos come to mind if they are interested.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I think that it is Cody and Latrell’s team and it shows. Just like them One minute brilliant the next disinterested or plagued with an overdose of petulance and inexplicable lack of concentration. They need a leader on field that keeps them in check. Cam Murray is a great player but his captaincy needs more anger
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Gareth Widdop didn’t go too bad, nor did George Williams from memory. I would be giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Graham has been a huge out for Souths this year. Definitely one of the best and most underrated centres in the game
Tom G
Roar Rookie
And tell them what to do. Tge refs will be lost… well more lost
Good Grief
Roar Rookie
Souths already have a yardage kicker with sweet timing and an enormous boot, if he could be bothered making a more substantial contribution and shoulder an on field leadership role… his name is… Mitchell.
Good Grief
Roar Rookie
… every round the last three years.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Gotta feel for Illias. He was thrown in due to the poor management of the Reynolds contract, then the coach hails him as the clubs long term half who will be better than Reynolds. I thinks Souths might get the spoon this year. A lot of off field drama, ageing squad, no speed and low on quality forwards.
andrew
Roar Rookie
He won't be far behind.Ilias will probably hold the door for him as JD leaves.
steveng
Roar Rookie
We've got Campbell Graham who is one of the best centers in the NRL and we are really missing him as he is one of the reasons why this Souths side is the way it is and last in 2024. Last year he was the pivot of why Souths were going so well and scoring some great tries, he is strong and a really top-notch tackler. I agree that we don't have speed out wide as AJ and Monroe are injured and the speed has completely gone missing out of this side.
Tony
Roar Guru
Not unless he buys a ticket
Tony
Roar Guru
Easier to blame the coach
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Latrell Mitchell has absolutely no business being anywhere near Origin this year.
Amesy
Roar Rookie
Add to that the lack of recruitment of an outside back that’s not only fast but strong. Someone who can get the start of a set off on the front foot. I’m amazed that has been missed by the club since 2014.
Amesy
Roar Rookie
Well sold by Braith because as Illias has shown, he’s not really anywhere near being an NRL half back. No kicking game, his passes find the grass more than his kicks. Decent defender and tries hard but that’s about it. Poor handled by Souths though, how Solly and Ellison are escaping scrutiny so far is staggering.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
I've read that article, and despite how long and drawn out it is, and not to completely dismiss the stats, it is a rather simplistic view with a few identifiable holes and tactics and events not taken into account.