Cronulla Sharks will be left sweating on the fitness of Toby Rudolf come finals time, with the forward expected to miss four weeks after scans revealed he had suffered a grade two medial ligament tear.
The prop crumpled onto the floor clutching his knee in agony after trying to make a tackle midway through the Sharks’ clash with the Wests Tigers, which they went on to win 36-12.
Cronulla are riding high after a successful run has seen them claim eight victories in their past nine matches. They proved far too strong for an insipid Tigers outfit, with Rudolf once again leading from the front.
The big forward has been a consistent performer for Craig Fitzgibbon, with the rookie coach showing the faith he has in him by turning him into a cornerstone of the side.
Yet while his absence will be felt through the middle of the park, Cronulla will be boosted by the return of a number of other forwards as they prepare to take on Manly on Saturday afternoon.
The experienced duo of Andrew Fifita and Aiden Tolman missed the game against the Tigers in Tamworth, but should be in contention to feature this weekend.
Cronulla’s depth in the forwards has been the envy of many clubs, with Cameron McInnes and Teig Wilton often only afforded a place on the bench.
A number of players will now have the chance to press their claims for a start in the team, due to Rudolf’s injury.
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The prop has been a regular for Fitzgibbon this campaign, with the 26-year-old appearing in 20 games so far this year.
Rudolf has also enjoyed a gradual rise in his minutes throughout the season, averaging around the 60-minute mark during the Sharks’ recent run of great form.
The Souths junior made his debut for the club in 2020, before gradually solidifying his place in the side.
Last year, he signed a three-year contract extension to keep him in the Shire until at least the end of the 2024 season.
Rudolf spoke of his passion for the club and how he wanted to develop under the stewardship of Fitzgibbon.
“He’s a big reason as to why I wanted to stay, him talking about the culture he wanted to bring to the club, developing better men which makes better footy players, I was really on board with that,” Rudolf said at the time of signing his deal.
“To be able to repay the club for putting faith in me, is something I’m really stoked about.”
