Copley done but Holbrook banking on Arrow seeing out season
- Author
- Timestamp
Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook is hopeful that Queensland Origin forward Jai Arrow hasn’t played his last game for the club after suffering a shoulder injury in Saturday’s 30-18 loss to Cronulla at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Arrow and centre Dale Copley were forced from the field with injuries before New Zealand forward Kevin Proctor was sent off for allegedly biting Sharks halfback Shaun Johnson.
Copley’s season is finished after suffering a pectoral muscle tear but Holbrook said Arrow was expected to play again before joining South Sydney next year.
“Obviously Dale has done his pec but hopefully Jai’s shoulder isn’t too bad,” Holbrook said. “We had players out of position and it was a good effort from us today but disappointing with how it finished.”
The scores were level at 12-12 when Proctor was given his marching orders but the Sharks scored three tries in eight minutes before the Titans could recover.
Proctor sent off in game 250 for alleged bite
“Obviously the minute we went down to 12 they got a couple of quick tries and then I thought we finished strongly," Holbrook said.
“To score ourselves and create a few more opportunities is a really good sign for our club and where we are heading.”
The Sharks also finished the game with Johnson and centre Josh Dugan on the sideline.
Johnson, who had been suffering from a stomach complaint, felt a tightening in his groin and relinquished the goal-kicking duties to Matt Moylan for Cronulla’s last two tries.
The Titans big men combine
“He was really good for us, he has been all year," Cronulla coach John Morris said. “He was really down on himself this week after not kicking a goal in the Parramatta game.”
Morris expects Johnson and Dugan (knee) to be available for next weekend’s clash with Penrith.
“He had a tight groin at the back end of that game we were managing. He was also quite crook early in the game,” he said.
“He felt a bit under the weather taking those kicks at goal and he was struggling in back play. Towards the back end he couldn't kick because his groin was quite tight there.”
