The Roosters' dreadful wounded toll continued to equine arsenic they grinded retired a bitter-sweet 28-8 triumph implicit the Knights connected the Sunshine Coast tonight.
Centre Billy Smith finished his nighttime erstwhile helium suffered a close ankle wounded successful the 16th minute, earlier winger Matt Ikuvalu became different casualty erstwhile his near ankle buckled successful the 34th minute.
Heading into the game, the Roosters had already mislaid Luke Keary (knee), Lindsay Collins (knee) and Joseph Suaalii (foot) for the season, portion Boyd Cordner (concussion), Jake Friend (concussion) and Brett Morris (knee) had had mid-season retirements.
"He is successful large distress," said Fox League commentator Warren Smith arsenic Ikuvalu received aesculapian attraction connected the field.
"He knew consecutive away, Matt Ikuvalu. Massive issue.
"This cursed season, arsenic acold arsenic injuries spell for the Roosters, conscionable knows nary end. It's unbelievable."
Storm and Roosters fable Cooper Cronk enactment the losses of Smith and Ikuvalu successful perspective.
"Normally crossed a squad you tin screen 1 wounded to 1 of the extracurricular backs due to the fact that Angus Crichton has that flexibility," Cronk said.
"But erstwhile you suffer 2 you past commencement getting beauteous thin.
"They've got Lachlan Lam connected the seat who tin perchance play successful the centres and (you can) determination Joseph Manu retired to a helping position.
"So present some edges of the Sydney Roosters are rather susceptible erstwhile it comes to the Newcastle Knights trying to prime them isolated with caller antiaircraft combinations."
Smith's ankle wounded follows 2 ACL ruptures and a enarthrosis reconstruction, a horrible tally that's constricted him to conscionable 5 NRL games since debuting successful 2019.
"He cannot instrumentality a instrumentality arsenic acold arsenic injuries are acrophobic present ," Fox League's Smith said.
"He limps disconnected the tract present aboriginal on."
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