Parramatta’s wing stocks have suffered yet another injury blow with teen speedster Sean Russell being sent to hospital during the Eels’ 32-28 victory over the Titans in round one.
Russell scored a hat-trick and was injured while crossing for his third try, when Gold Coast fullback Jayden Campbell crashed into his torso knees first.
Highly regarded sports physiotherapist Brien Seeney believes Russell may have broken his ribs, and he said if the injury was isolated to his ribs he was likely to miss three to six weeks.
Russell’s injury follows that of Maika Sivo, who ruptured an ACL during a game in August last year, and Haze Dunster, who won’t play a match this season after tearing his anterior, medial and posterior ligaments.
Dunster became a hard-luck story of this year’s trials when he was badly injured by Dragons back-rower Tyrell Fuimaono in a hip-drop tackle.
The Russell incident occurred after halfback Mitchell Moses hit him with a lovely cut-out ball on the left wing.
Campbell slammed into Russell knees first at full pace as he attempted to prevent the four-pointer, but the bunker opted against awarding an eight-point try.
“It’s the only area on the field where two players are running 90 degrees to the one point of grass at full speed,” said legendary Storm fullback Billy Slater on Nine’s coverage.
The Eels’ wing stocks were bolstered by the attainment of Bailey Simonsson over the off-season, who departed the Raiders and played on the right wing in Sunday’s match.
