The amount of players unavailable for the New Zealand Warriors is growing by the week. Players returning home aside, injuries have continued to cripple the club, adding more hurdles to their 2020 NRL campaign.
The latest blow saw a freak accident at trainingleave young half Chanel Harris-Tavita under an injury cloud ahead of Sunday's match against the Canterbury Bulldogs in Sydney. The 21-year-old suffered a head knock after connecting with teammate Adam Keighran, and is yet to pass a head injury assessment.
In the same session, outside back Patrick Herbert suffered a torn hamstring and is set to miss at least three weeks. It has left with the club with 21 fit players, who are all part of this weekend's squad.
Interim coach Todd Payten described the training as "carnage".
"We've trained as if he [Harris-Tavita] wasn't playing. We'll give Chanel every opportunity to get past the HIA but he has to tick every box perfectly between now and Saturday," Payten says.
"Fingers crossed for the kid he's been really good for us. If he's not [fit to play], we'll move on like we have in the past 12 weeks."
Payten gives Harris-Tavita a "50-50" chance of playing.
"He's the long-term future of this club and we're just going to do the right thing by him."
Chanel Harris-Tavita could miss Sunday's NRL match against the Bulldogs. Photo / Photosport
The news is far worse for Keighran, who was immediately taken to hospital. He was just making his way back from a knee injury that has seen him play only one game in 2020.
"He will have a protocol to go through next week. He also has three or four stitches in his top lip, he's got a broken nose - I think that's getting fixed on Friday," Payten said.
"[It's a] shame for Adam. It's happened two or three times now he's been right on the cusp of playing and he's got injured in one way or another."
The injuries leave the Warriors extremely thin at halfback, and Payten would not reveal who trained alongside Kodi Nikorima today.
Paul Turner has been named as 18th man and could be called on to start. The 20-year-old Turner is yet to make his first grade debut, but Payten believes he is ready to take the field if need be.
"I think he's trained really well since we've been in Australia.
"Quiet kid by nature but when he gets out on the park he moves really well. I wouldn't be adverse to putting him in there."
For Herbert, Payten says he could be out for longer than the expected three weeks, but he was "moving better today".
"He's walking limp-free which is always a good sign."
The club's casualty ward currently has a population of 10, including Harris-Tavita. They have a further five players away on compassionate leave.
To add more salt to the various wounds, loan forward Jack Hetherington is set to return to Penrith on Friday. Payten says they may need to look into loan players again to see out the season.
If there was a team the club would want to take on with just 21 players available, it would be the Bulldogs, who sit bottom of the table with just two wins from 13 games.
