Rabbitohs’ gun South Sydney is defeated by Cronulla despite Jai Arrow’s ‘terrible’ injury.
The Rabbitohs suffered a loss on Saturday night that could prove to cost them a finals berth — and the defeat was compounded by an agonising injury sustained by Jai Arrow.
In a game won by the Sharks 26-16 in Perth, Arrow was helped from the field in the 53rd minute and didn’t return after emerging from a tackle clutching at his back.
He was sucking in deep breaths and screaming as he was helped from the paddock by two medicos.
The Rabbitohs, who hardly fired a shot in the first hour of the game, ran in three consecutive tries after the loss of the Queensland State of Origin forward, but the Sharks held on to crack a three-match losing streak.
While Cronulla climbed to fifth on the ladder, South Sydney slipped to eighth and now awaits a nervy final four regular-season games.
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou said Arrow had suffered back spasms, but the South Sydney mentor played down the seriousness of the injury.
“I don’t think it’s anything major. He’s had a tough week, Jai, in his prep. (He’s) coming back from that syndesmosis injury, as well. I think his back seized up but (it) shouldn’t be too serious,” Demetriou said.
“A long flight won’t make it any easier for his recovery, but the medical team will get into him and we’ll assess it next week. It’s too early to say (if he’ll play next week).”
Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler grimaced as post-game replays rolled through of Arrow hurting his back.
“Jai Arrow, that back, that did not look good,” Johns said on Nine’s post-game coverage.
“We just saw him out there after the game shaking hands, but the reaction here … That is a disc and it’s nerve damage and it’s going down his legs and when you get that … You could see the pain he was in. It’s horrible.”
Nine co-commentator Fittler said Arrow had been hit by “one of the worst feelings”.
“You feel like your whole back is just going to snap,” added the NSW Blues coach.
As Cronulla shot out to a 20-0 lead within the first hour of the game, Sione Katoa produced one of the top highlights of his career when he burned Latrell Mitchell with a lethal right-foot step and raced away to score.
The Rabbitohs untapped their electric attacking footy as they piled on three tries in the space of about 10 minutes late in the game, but they failed to win a second match in succession after last week’s victory over Wests Tigers.
South Sydney’s comeback mission was hindered by a sin-bin of Thomas Burgess, who was marched from the field for a high shot on Thomas Hazleton.
