Source :- THE AGE NEWS
The NRL match review committee dealt the Panthers an unexpected fresh blow to their title hopes on Sunday night, as Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo nervously waited to learn if a potentially ruptured pectoral muscle would end his season.
Yeo went for scans in western Sydney first thing Sunday after he injured his right pec during the 28-12 loss to the New Zealand Warriors on Friday night.
The 31-year-old immediately reeled out of the tackle in pain, stayed on the field for the remainder of the set – and even tackled James Fisher-Harris using his left shoulder – before he signalled to the trainer he was in trouble.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary conceded after the game on Friday: “It doesn’t look great.”
Yeo will know by Monday if his season is over. A rupture would sideline him for up to three months. That could also end his hopes of captaining Australia at the World Cup in October and November.
Penrith supporters will be wondering if their club has the depth of middle forwards to cover for Yeo, starting with the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night.
They then head to Melbourne where superstar Cameron Munster is suddenly free to play, despite being hit with a one-match ban by the match review committee on Sunday.
Munster was handed a grade-two dangerous contact charge for a tackle on Manly’s Taniela Paseka in Perth on Saturday.
He risked one week on the sidelines, but after Manly informed the match review committee Paseka’s injury was not as bad as first feared, Munster’s charge was revisited and downgraded to a fine.
Munster will be free to return against Penrith after Melbourne enjoy the bye next week, along with Harry Grant (hamstring), which will not help Penrith in their push for the minor premiership.
The only other time the match review committee has backflipped on the grading of a charge because of fresh information about an injury was last year when Nicho Hynes was cleared to play in an elimination final.
An NRL spokesperson confirmed the committee also had the power to increase a penalty if the injury was worse than first suspected, but that is yet to happen.
Should Yeo be out, Lindsay Smith is expected to move to lock, while Isaiah Papali’i can play in the middle. Luron Patea and Kalani Leuluai-Going, who captained the Panthers’ NSW Cup team at the weekend, are capable of playing off the bench.
Roosters forward Spencer Leniu, who will be doing his best to help his club win and leapfrog the Panthers to the top of the NRL ladder with three rounds remaining, won three premierships with Yeo. He labelled his former teammate “the heartbeat” of the team. If Yeo is out, Leniu said Penrith are “a world-class team, and they’ll have that next-man-up mentality”.
Panthers legend Brad Fittler, who worked with Yeo when coach of the NSW Origin team, added the lock forward would play a key role if he was off limits.
“If he’s out, Isaah is one of those wise people who will have that calming effect at training,” Fittler said.
“To lose Isaah would put pressure on their depth. They’ve pretty much provided the competition with players – they’ve lost some key front-rowers in recent years, including Spencer Leniu and James Fisher-Harris – now they’ve lost another middle.
“A guy like Lindsay Smith can do a great job [at No. 13], you still have Moses Leota and Liam Henry up front, but it’s that next bloke who will be under pressure, a guy like Luron Patea.
“They’re playing without their fullback [Dylan Edwards], hooker [Mitch Kenny] and centre [Casey McLean], and when they’re all back, they’ll be a different team. I wouldn’t be jumping off Penrith just yet.”
