Super League Injury News: Devastating blow for youngster and star signing limps off

Round Nine of Super League saw just how tight the competition is with the top eight now separated by just four points and the top six by just two. The brilliant on-field action was marred though as injuries continued.

In a round where three of the top four lost, it meant the sole winner headed to the top of Super League and that was St Helens.

The Red Vee were perhaps fortunate to get the win though as they led for just 37 seconds of the entire match with Jonny Lomax’s last-minute drop goal being all that could separate Saints and Huddersfield Giants.

That game was played on Thursday meaning that Catalans could reclaim top spot on Friday night but they were handed a shock 30-2 defeat by Leigh Leopards who saw captain John Asiata return from injury.

Wigan also failed to capitalise after being beaten handily by Hull KR 26-10 in a performance that Matt Peet described as “below-par”. Friday’s other game saw Castleford get back to winning ways as they put 40 points up and nilled winless London Broncos.

Warrington were the next of the top four to lose as they fell to a 17-12 defeat against Salford Red Devils, Paul Rowley capping off an eventful week with an impressive win.

Leeds Rhinos then beat Hull FC 18-12 on Sunday but despite the win, Rhinos’ fans showed frustration with head coach Rohan Smith as a number chanted post-game calling for the Australian to be sacked.

Across those fixtures, a number of injury issues have emerged including a major one too.

Super League Injury Concerns

The major injury news of the round concerned young Warrington Wolves playmaker Leon Hayes who had to be stretchered from the field just before the hour mark.

It was unclear what happened with Sky Sports opting not to show the replays but Hayes had carried the ball into contact and was left prone on the floor with what has since been confirmed as an ankle injury.

Both Salford’s tacklers and Danny Walker at dummy-half quickly called for medical attention with the 20-year-old administered oxygen before being stretchered off to chants of ‘There’s only one Leon Hayes’.

Thankfully the youngster clapped along to those chants and Sam Burgess has since confirmed that he spoke to Hayes from the hospital with the club promising an update in the coming days.

Whilst it was a major injury, it does seem that Hayes was among the only Super League players to cop a blow this week with few reported injuries.

Veterans Tommy Makinson and Liam Farrell were dealt head blows but didn’t leave the field for HIA’s with Makinson copping one off his own teammate, whilst Farrell’s only came to light when Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin suggested that the Wigan skipper ‘hadn’t been right’ since Jesse Sue’s barge-over try early on.

With neither incident warranting a HIA it’s assumed both men will be fine for next week, however, one man who did fail a HIA was Salford’s King Vuniyayawa meaning that he will miss their next game.

Another player who could miss the upcoming fixture is Leeds Rhinos’ signing Paul Momorovksi with the NRL recruit leaving the field with an ankle injury, yet another blow for the Rhinos’ three-quarter line.

Super League Round Nine Injuries
Leon Hayes (Warrington Wolves) – Ankle
Paul Momorovski (Leeds Rhinos) – Ankle
King Vuniyayawa (Salford Red Devils) – Head