NRL 2022, Injuries, Casualty Ward, suspension and key information for the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership season

Casualty Ward: Turbo to jet to the US in bid to fix hamstring

Author: NRL.com
Timestamp: Thu 22 Dec 2022, 02:47 PM

Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic will follow the path of Latrell Mitchell and head to the USA to work with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles in a bid to fix his hamstring woes.

The Sea Eagles announced on Thursday that Trbojevic will spend two weeks in Philadelphia under the guidance of Knowles, who successfully helped Mitchell get back on the field after his own hamstring setbacks.

Trbojevic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain at training in December with a two-month recovery period expected.

"We all saw what Latrell did off the back of the trip so I think it's a really good opportunity for me to go over there and look at a few new ideas and pick some things out I can bring back here," Trbojevic said in the injury update.

Trbojevic was otherwise progressing well from shoulder surgery that cut his 2022 season short. He remains on track for the season opener against the Bulldogs on March 4.

Meanwhile, Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton underwent minor ankle surgery following his return from the World Cup but will return to full training in January.

Broncos forward Kobe Hetherington is "out for an extended period" after he ruptured his biceps during a training session in December.

Hetherington underwent surgery immediately and will aim to return to the field in the middle of the 2023 season.

Dolphins recruit Brenko Lee will miss 4-6 weeks of the pre-season after injuring his calf at training.

It's been a frustrating 12 months for Lee, who will aim to get back in time for the trials in February.

Dolphins teammate Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is also on track for the trials after suffering an ankle injury at the World Cup.

"I’ve done my left ankle before so I knew the process with getting surgery and how to recover from it," he said.

Cowboys forward Heilum Luki is targeting a return a month into the 2023 season.

The 21-year-old back-rower suffered an ACL injury against the Dragons in Round 14 last year but revealed he is on track to be playing again between Rounds 4-6 in 2023.

"I’m almost at six months post-operation. It’s travelling well, I’m running well and it feels good at the gym," Luki said.

Sea Eagles winger Reuben Garrick underwent shoulder surgery three months ago and is now running unrestricted and has returned to introductory skills and weights.

The Titans reported that new recruit Sam Verrills copped a knock to the shoulder at training but is expected to return to full contact training in January.

The former Rooster is in no doubt for the start of the 2023 season.

Raiders veteran Jarrod Croker is aiming to start contact training in early January as he looks to return to the field in 2023.

The 32-year-old hasn't played since injuring his shoulder in Roun 9 against Canterbury. He is the second most capped Raider of all time and requires just eight games to join the 300 Club.

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Teammate Corey Horsburgh had minor shoulder surgery in the off-season but will look to resume most of the pre-season training sessions excluding contact when he returns. He will look to introduce contact post-Christmas.

Former Raider Josh Hodgson is tracking well in his recovery from the ACL injury he suffered in the opening round of 2022 and is on track for to debut for new club Parramatta during the Pre-Season Challenge.

Melbourne were hit hard by injuries in 2022, including big names Christian Welch and Ryan Papenhuyzen, but the Storm report that all players are expected to be available for the opening round of the new season.

Welch suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the first game of 2022 against Wests Tigers while Papenhuyzen's stop-start season came to a halt in Round 18 when he fractured his kneecap against Canberra.

To view the complete NRL Casualty Ward, please visit the hub page.

Chemist Warehouse Casualty Ward

Brisbane Broncos

Payne Haas (ankle, Pre-Season Challenge)
Adam Reynolds (leg, Pre-Season Challenge)
Kotoni Staggs (shoulder, round one)
Xavier Willison (shoulder, round one)
Blake Mozer (shoulder, round one)
Kobe Hetherington (biceps, indefinite)

Canberra Raiders

Jarrod Croker (shoulder, round one)
Harley Smith-Shields (knee, round one)
Corey Horsburgh (shoulder, round one)
Adrian Trevilyan (shoulder/knee, mid-season)

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Matt Burton (ankle, Pre-Season Challenge)
Bailey Biondi-Odo (knee, mid-season)

Cronulla Sharks

Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)
Braden Hamlin-Uele (calf, Pre-Season Challenge)
Jack Williams (shoulder, round one)
Matt Ikuvalu (knee, mid-season)

Dolphins

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (ankle, Pre-Season Challenge)
Brenko Lee (calf, Pre-Season Challenge)
Ray Stone (knee, round one)

Gold Coast Titans

Sam Verrills (shoulder, Pre-Season Challenge)
AJ Brimson (groin, Pre-Season Challenge)
Patrick Herbert (knee, mid-season)
Aaron Booth (knee, mid-season)
Brian Kelly (suspended, three games to serve)

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Taniela Paseka (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)
Ben Trbojevic (shoulder, Pre-Season Challenge)
Tom Trbojevic (hamstring, round one)
Reuben Garrick (shoulder, round one)
Josh Aloiai (knee, round one)
Morgan Harper (shoulder, mid-season)
Morgan Boyle (foot, mid-season)
Jason Saab (knee, mid-season)
Alec Tuitavake (knee, mid-season)
Karl Lawton (knee, round 4-5)

Melbourne Storm

Dean Ieremia (hamstring, Pre-Season Challenge)
George Jennings (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)
Tom Eisenhuth (ankle, Pre-Season Challenge)
Ryan Papenhuyzen (knee, round one)
Xavier Coates (hamstring, round one)
Reimis Smith (pectoral, round one)
Christian Welch (Achilles, round one)
Tyran Wishart (ankle, round one)

Newcastle Knights

Leo Thompson (hamstring, Pre-Season Challenge)
Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder, Pre-Season Challenge)
Bailey Hodgson (elbow, round one)
Dylan Lucas (pectoral, round one)
Adam Elliott (pelvis, round one)
Jack Hetherington (shoulder, round one)
Mat Croker (suspended, two matches to serve)

Injury spotters and independent doctors

North Queensland Cowboys

Mitch Dunn (knee, round one)
Heilum Luki (knee, Round 4-6)

Parramatta Eels

Josh Hodgson (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)
Haze Dunster (knee, round one)
Bailey Simonsson (shoulder, mid-season)
Ryan Matterson (suspended, three games to serve)

Penrith Panthers

Spencer Leniu (shoulder, round one)
Izack Tago (shoulder, round one)

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Jacob Host (shoulder, Pre-Season Challenge)
Liam Knight (knee/shoulder, mid-season)
Taane Milne (suspended, one game to serve)

St George Illawarra Dragons

Mikaele Ravalawa (hamstring, Pre-Season Challenge)
Tyrell Fuimaono (elbow, Pre-Season Challenge)
Jack de Belin (shoulder, Pre-Season Challenge)
Nick Lui-Toso (pectoral, Pre-Season Challenge)
Francis Molo (suspended, two games to serve)
Cody Ramsey (bowel, indefinite)

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Sydney Roosters

Sitili Tupouniua (knee, mid-season)
Billy Smith (knee, mid-season)
Angus Crichton (suspended, one game to serve)

Warriors

Jazz Tevaga (shoulder, round one)
Marcelo Montoya (knee, round one)
Rocco Berry (toe, round one)
Ronald Volkman (shoulder, round one)
Bayley Sironen (osteitis pubis, round one)

Wests Tigers

Ken Maumalo (knee, Pre-Season Challenge)
Tommy Talau (knee, round one)
Shawn Blore (ACL, round one)
Alex Seyfarth (pectoral, round one)

Josh Aloiai injury blow for Samoa

Casualty Ward By Club

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