Fitzgibbon to play against the vermin?

[TheLoneRooster]

FALSE ALARM

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqn...546631557.html

EDIT: Sorry, misunderstood that article and can't delete the thread.

[Guest]

What cheek: injured Fitzgibbon ditches plan to play
Brad Walter | July 27, 2009

DEPARTING Sydney Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon has been forced to abandon a brave attempt to ignore a fractured cheek and play in tonight's match against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

Fitzgibbon, who is leaving the Roosters at the end of the season to go to Super League club Hull, will be joined on the sidelines by former teammate Michael Crocker after the Rabbitohs second-rower again succumbed to hip and shoulder injuries acquired playing for Queensland.

But after failing to get a medical clearance to play against Souths for the final time in a stellar 257-match premiership career with the Roosters, Dragons and Steelers, Fitzgibbon is hoping to miss just one match and make an earlier than scheduled return in Saturday night's clash with Newcastle.

"I tried to [play] but I couldn't get a clearance. Hopefully I will get one for next week," he said yesterday.

The 32-year-old former Australian and NSW back-rower was initially advised he would be sidelined until either the round-22 clash with Wests Tigers or the following game against Manly - both to be played at the Sydney Football Stadium.

But as Anthony Cherrington (leg) - who was also injured last weekend - joins Mark O'Meley (hand), Braith Anasta (ankle), James Aubusson (knee) and Nate Myles (suspended) on the unavailable list, Fitzgibbon wanted to help the young side out.

Even with Fitzgibbon and 29-year-old Willie Mason in the side that lost 30-24 to the Warriors last round, the average age of the Roosters line-up was 21 due largely to the presence of five players - Mitchell Pearce, Tom Symonds, Ben Jones, Jake Friend and Sandor Earl.

"We've been having a crack, but it's tough," Fitzgibbon said. "Have a look at our team, we've got a bunch of kids. But they've got talent and they're really keen so you'd like to think the club is heading in the right direction."

Offsetting the loss of Fitzgibbon and Cherrington is the return from injury of Kiwi international Setaimata Sa and former Australian Test fullback Anthony Minichiello, the 2006 Golden Boot winner as the world's best player.

With Fitzgibbon and Anasta out, Minichiello will take over the captaincy duties and is expected to start at fullback rather than on the wing, where he has been named, in a switch with Sam Perrett.

Rookie Dave Tyrrell, a Brisbane product who came to Souths as a fullback but now plays in the back row, will replace Crocker on the interchange bench as he did in last week's record 44-12 defeat of Brisbane, in which he scored his first NRL try.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqn...546631557.html