South Sydney will be without star forward Sam Burgess for their clash with Melbourne on Sunday, with the Englishman set to be sidelined due to a quad injury.
Burgess was set to play after successfully fighting a high tackle charge on Matt Moylan, although a quad strain will see him miss the clash with the Storm.
Wayne Bennett confirmed Burgess' absence in his pre-match press conference on Saturday morning.
Burgess returned to the Rabbitohs' side last week after missing the five weeks prior due to complications involving shoulder surgery.
Karma for the grub.
He is no grub but as a storm fan, I am kinda pleased to see him out. It helps balance out the Hughes loss.
I suggest if Manly had won yesterday, Sam would be playing and so would Alex Johnston who could also play next week against the Bulldogs but will return the following week where Souths barring any further injuries will be at full strength for an assault on the premiership.
Storm will be a tough one but no surprise next week onwards go through undefeated for No 22.
MR EDwoodwood19 no doubt you are referring to the rooster supporter who was exposed as setting it all up and still waiting for her to return to be interviewed.
I’m told she is in no hurry to return whilst hiding in a kibbutz somewhere in Israel.
BTW, regarding the Roosters v Raiders game tomorrow, when it comes to horses for courses Ashley Klein is on a 8 match winning streak if the Roosters beat The Raiders tomorrow.
The last time the Roosters lost a game where Klein officiated was in R8 2018 v Dragons in the Charity Shield.
In the 7 games since then where Klein was the ref the Roosters have won all which included the semi and GF last year.
Since the 2018 semi Roosters v Souths and GF v Storm Ashley Klein has in 2019 officiated in 3 crucial Rooster games (v Broncos R4, v Storm R6 and v Knights R18 after the Knights beat them in R 11).
The Roosters won all 5.
In the 10 games the Roosters have lost since R8 2018, Ashley Klein has not officiated in any of them.
I am not accusing Ashley Klein of cheating or exercising deliberate bias but it just may simply be an amazing case of coincidence regarding this streak and that his appointment as ref is in crucial games for the Roosters with tomorrow’s game against The Raiders no exception.
Now that we are once again nearing the business end of the competition my curiosity will be focussed on which of the Rooster games Klein will be appointed and if this winning streak currently at 7 becomes 8 tomorrow.
I will be watching with keen interest for the next time the Roosters lose a game where Ashley Klein is behind the whistle.
If the Roosters were a race horse and Ashley Klein was a jockey the form would read very well for this horse to make it 8 straight with this jockey in the saddle.
No need to risk the best player in the world when in 2 weeks along with Alex Johnston Souths will be almost at full strength but according to MR EDwoodwood19 will definitely lose to the Bulldogs so it might all be in vain.
I believe Souths will win tomorrow regardless Burgess plays or not, not happy Burns out though, but why put Turner there, we are leading the reggies and have some great centres, me thinks Bennett maybe be wrong here.