Evans/Kennedy injuries

[Guest]

I really don't get this nasty bullshit campaign against MK questioning his toughness/manhood. MK is as tough as they come and is a Rooster through and through! He has so much passion for our club which should be commended in this day and age and yet some so called Roosters supporters are calling him a pussy after he has just sustained an excruciatingly painful injury. What a f**king joke, show some respect for the bloke! We need him back healthy asap as he is in our top 17 best players! It is so bloody obvious that MK was blowing up like he was at the time of the injury because he was furious thinking that his season and possibly his career was over. MK desperately wants to win a premiership here at the Roosters and he knows that we have a bloody good opportunity at winning one this year, and all of a sudden he would have thought that this great opportunity was taken away from him. Of course he would be gutted at that very thought.

I would love to see those calling MK a pussy feel the kind of pain that MK was feeling and see how they would react, cause it is obvious that they have never experienced what it is like!!

Well said.

I actually thought the MK's screams were more frustration than pain, with the realisation that he'd probably be out for some time. If anything I thought it showed that he cared, and the passion that he had for the team, and being a part of it.

Kennedy, although not flawless (yes I get nervous he's going to give away a penalty every time he makes a tackle) is a good young player, and that's not even taking into account the good person and clubman he is. I can't believe the flack he cops?

He's way tougher, and better actually, then Shillo was at the same age, and look at the blow up there was when he left.

[Guest]

I'm glad shillo is gone he had a shit attitude. MK is an intelligent himan bein which is what you need at a football club. I remember the article he wrote about drinking back in 2010 and couldn't believe the level of articulation and thought. Wish him a speedy recovery.

Fingers crossed this allows for us to see more napa and hopefully if the stars align evens! Sad circumstances in which for this to happen but that unfortunately is football.

Not sure how I feel about osullivan being released. Would have preferred to see oldfield go

[Pass the Ball]

The Widdop injury last night looked really nasty. Brandy thought it was a hamstring, when his whole leg had clearly come out of the hip. I would be very surprised if we ever see Gareth Widdop on a footy field again. I feel sorry for the bloke.

[mightyrooster]

The Widdop injury last night looked really nasty. Brandy thought it was a hamstring, when his whole leg had clearly come out of the hip. I would be very surprised if we ever see Gareth Widdop on a footy field again. I feel sorry for the bloke.

Yeah I thought it strange Brandy thought it was his hamstring as the poor bloke looked in serious agony. What a horrendous injury. It was making me feel ill.

[Johnny.]

The Widdop injury last night looked really nasty. Brandy thought it was a hamstring, when his whole leg had clearly come out of the hip. I would be very surprised if we ever see Gareth Widdop on a footy field again. I feel sorry for the bloke.

I remember when Ivan Cleary did the same thing with us. I didn't think he'd ever play again. I hate Melbourne more than my ex-wife but I wouldn't wish a career ending injury on anyone.

Oh well, they can pick up Morty now.

[Guest]

The Widdop injury last night looked really nasty. Brandy thought it was a hamstring, when his whole leg had clearly come out of the hip. I would be very surprised if we ever see Gareth Widdop on a footy field again. I feel sorry for the bloke.

Just read on the SMH site, that Widdop might be back in 12 weeks and play finals footy!

[Salvatori Grubber]

If true, then great news. Good luck to the kid.

[Guest]

Just heard kane came out of doctors today at roosters, going in for surgery Thursday out for 10 weeks, unbelievable!!!!

[Johnny.]

Widdop has been confirmed as being out for the season.

[Guest]

Cap cruels yet another youngster's NRL debut

The NRL's second-tier salary cap has robbed another young player of a likely debut after the Roosters were told they were unable to use Kane Evans on Friday night.

With the uncertainty surrounding Sonny Bill Williams because of a glute strain, the Roosters had applied to the NRL to use the uncapped Evans from the interchange bench in a reworked side. Instead, the club were told by the NRL that Evans could not play and they had to use Tinirau Arona instead. Both Arona and Evans warmed up on Friday night, but for Evans it was only to give him a taste of first-grade experience. Arona played his only top grade game this year in round one.

With Williams in doubt, James Maloney, Michael Jennings and Mitchell Pearce on Origin duty and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves suspended, the Roosters' depth was tested.

The Roosters chief operating officer of football, Brian Canavan, called for immediate change.

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''We made the application and through the interpretation of the rules we were told that we couldn't use Kane,'' Canavan said. ''We as a NRL club are expected to produce the best possible team in order to have the best possible product, we have to have rules that allow that. Those rules need to have flexibility for the coaches to select the best possible team and to prepare with plenty of time. We found that we were very restricted to do that by the rules this week.

''The rules need to be addressed as soon as possible in order to assist the clubs. It's not the individuals [in the NRL] that are the problem, it's the rules.''

It is the second case in recent weeks after Penrith were forced to drop in-form fullback Matt Moylan to the NSW Cup. While Moylan was given a late reprieve to return because of an injury to Wes Naiqama, under the second-tier salary cap restrictions, Penrith will still need to apply on a weekly basis to play Moylan, who is not part of the top 25 NRL squad. Wests Tigers have also encountered similar problems when officials were made to fight hard to ensure Jarred Farlow, who has toiled in NSW Cup for several years, made his debut against Penrith on June 9.

Influential Roosters chairman Nick Politis weighed into the debate: ''They're taking the selection process away from the coach,'' he said. ''They're telling you who to pick.''

Politis said he had discussed the inadequacies of the second-tier cap with NRL chief executive Dave Smith, but feared that despite a meeting of the salary cap review committee last Wednesday, ''we're back to square one''.

''The second-tier cap needs updating quickly,'' he said. ''It's making a farce out of the whole system. The indications were that something was going to be done, that this committee was going to do something in the interim. But there's been committees for 10 years and nothing seems to happen with them.

''It really affects clubs when you've got injuries and players picked in State of Origin. It needs to be fixed. This is a problem for the whole code. It is not just us.''

The new NRL's chief operating officer Jim Doyle is leading a review into the second-tier salary cap.

The Roosters were fortunate Williams came through the game unscathed and starred to lead his side to victory. The confusion was highlighted by Williams going down in the dying stages of the Roosters' final training session on Thursday.

''The senior salary cap has increased by about 19 per cent this year but the second-tier cap hasn't gone up commensurably,'' Canavan said. ''This is getting clubs into trouble. In the very first instance we would like to see the second-tier salary cap to increase to the same ratio that the top-tier cap has been increased.

''We find the rules too restrictive as we are not able to reward some players. Young players develop and that's what our game's about.''

In a cruel twist for Evans, he limped from the field with an ankle injury playing for Newtown in the NSW Cup on Saturday afternoon.

[Guest]

A panel will be set up within a matter of weeks to decide on future applications of the salary cap, before a complete review of the cap and its perceived antiquated machinations for next year and beyond.

Depending on who you talk to, the new panel will either give salary cap auditor Ian Schubert more support, or dilute his powers - or both. What is clear is that Schubert's sole discretionary powers over matters of the cap will be taken away by the formation of a panel of experts, which will include the current auditor.

The machinations of the salary cap have been heavily criticised this year following Israel Folau's decision to sign with rugby union following delays in Parramatta's attempts to sign him, as well as the second-tier salary cap restrictions that forced Penrith youngster Matt Moylan to be sidelined. A meeting of the salary cap review committee last Wednesday decided on the swift action, while also planning more longer-term change through its review.

While chief operating officer Jim Doyle, who oversees the cap, gave his support to Schubert, he felt decisions on the salary cap needed to be made by a panel, in a similar way that a judiciary panel makes the calls on foul play.

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While the rules will not change this year - which will still throw Moylan's short-term availability to play NRL into some doubt - any application will now be looked upon with fresh eyes and perspective. Doyle said former coaches and players would be considered for a likely three- or four-man panel.

He said the cap review committee had felt that a ''review of the whole thing'' was needed, rather than reacting to the controversies of this year.

If officials moved now to change the restrictions that led to Moylan being sidelined, and young Sydney Roosters forward Kane Evans being denied the chance to play in the NRL last Friday night, more problems could be created for other players and clubs, Doyle said. As such, a complete review of the salary cap will then be carried out before next season and beyond.

''We know how significant the salary cap is to the whole game,'' Doyle said. ''So let's do the whole thing properly - focus on delivering the best outcome rather than just reacting to this year.

''The salary cap and its enforcement have been an integral part of the game's success since the formation of the NRL.

''The fact that it has been in place for so long and the fact that it is so important underlines the value of a proper review to ensure it meets the needs of the future. You can't simply change the rules mid-season, but we do intend to give Ian Schubert greater support by establishing a panel of appropriately qualified people to assist him in determining any applications under the current system.

''What has been completely unfair is the extent to which people have focused on the salary cap auditor rather than the rules. The salary cap auditor's job is to apply the same rules that the clubs commit to before each season.

''Ian Schubert plays a valuable role in what can be at times difficult circumstances but, again, he can only apply the rules as they are laid down. We will continue to work with clubs both in finalising the terms for the review and in applying the existing provisions of the cap.''

[Guest]

Come on Snapper hope you play this week, you killed it ova the dogs.....minus some loose balls, that's only your first game, best
is yet to come!

[elo]

Kane's scans aren't good, he is gone for the season, grade 3 ligament torn off the bone in the ankle.

[Chook Norris]

Geez that's a shame. Good luck to his recovery

so we won't see him in first grade like others had predicted earlier this season

[Guest]

Just posted on the Roosters website, injury update:

Marty Kennedy
Marty suffered a knee injury in the final moments of Friday night's win over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, with the prop hyperextending it while making a tackle.

The injury requires surgery and will see the 64-game prop miss 8-12 weeks of NRL action. The surgery will determine the full extent of the injury.

Kane Evans
Kane suffered an ankle injury in last weekend's NSW Cup match for Newtown, against Cronulla.

Scans revealed Kane had suffered a right syndesmosis injury and will require surgery. The rehab for the injury is expected to take up to 12 weeks, however a return in the NSW Cup finals series has not been ruled out at this stage.

Jack Bosden
Jack suffered a tear of the cartilage in his knee in Newtown Jets victory over the Wests Tigers in Round 11 of the NSW Cup.

He underwent arthroscopic surgery the week following the injury and is recovering well, however a return date is yet to be determined.