Parramatta Eels second-rower Ryan Matterson's chance of wearing Sky Blue next Wednesday night may have gone up in smoke after he suffered a calf injury during Friday evening's win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The star forward, who has spent time in both the middle and on the edge over the last 12 months, was firming for a spot in Brad Fittler's Game 1 squad, which will be named on Monday morning.
However, he failed to finish Friday's clash against the Rabbitohs, with a calf injury reported, although the severity of said injury is yet to be confirmed.
Playing just 36 minutes during the game, it's believed he will now need to go for scans to understand the damage, but it's unlikely Origin coach Brad Fittler will take a punt on a representative rookie.
The NRL Physio suggested that the loss of ability to bear weight on his leg suggested it could be a "moderate strain" of the calf which may seem him sidelined for anywhere between three and six weeks.
Ryan Matterson suffered a calf injury. Didnโt see mechanism, tough to estimate severity based on video alone. But loss of function (couldnโt bear weight) brings concern for moderate strain, if that is the case return to play range often 3-6 weeks. Hopefully not as bad as it looks pic.twitter.com/3IsDOcBRNT
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) May 19, 2023
Matterson has become one of Parramatta's best and most consistent forwards, and while the club beat South Sydney on Friday, their form has been anything but tip-top in 2023.
The blue and gold, who are backing up last year's grand final appearance, hold a record oif just five and seven over their opening 12 games of the campaign, and while they still have all three byes up their sleeve - the first of which is in Round 14 - Matterson even having a three week lay off will see him miss the next two meetings with the North Queensland Cowboys and Canterbury Bulldogs.
