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Healthy Idris ready to return for Tigers
Mon 08 May, 2017, 5:19pm
Matt Encarnacion, AAP
Wests Tigers have received a huge boost ahead of Friday's game against South Sydney, with centre Jamal Idris ready to return from injury and continue his comeback to the NRL.
Idris has missed the past two games for the Tigers after injuring his hamstring in the 79th minute of the club's loss to Parramatta in round seven.
Following his one-year sabbatical from the NRL last year, the hamstring issue came just three weeks after his return from a foot injury that limited his game time early on in the season.
But the former Penrith star has already rejoined his teammates for full training and is set to take his place in the side against the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium.
"The hammy's fine - it's healed and it's happy days. I'm ready for Friday. It was always going to be a slow start for me considering I was out of the game for that long," Idris told AAP.
"In saying that, from the first game to the last game that I played, there was massive improvement, a huge difference. But I always knew that was going to happen."
Idris's return will go some way to alleviating the loss of skipper Aaron Woods, who could miss up to six weeks after hurting his own hamstring in the Tigers' last-start loss to Cronulla.
Sauaso Sue is likely to start in Woods's place, with Kyle Lovett a chance to be inserted onto the bench, however Idris admitted their embattled leader would be missed.
Woods is currently the only forward averaging more than 100 metres over the opening nine rounds, as well as 21 tackles in 58 minutes per game.
"He was playing unbelievable. He was chewing up metres, his offloads are massive for our game. It's going to be tough, but we have other forwards that just need to step up," Idris said.
"We're going to have to share the load."
The Tigers have won two of four since Ivan Cleary took over as coach and sit in 14th spot.
Mon 08 May, 2017, 5:19pm
Matt Encarnacion, AAP
Wests Tigers have received a huge boost ahead of Friday's game against South Sydney, with centre Jamal Idris ready to return from injury and continue his comeback to the NRL.
Idris has missed the past two games for the Tigers after injuring his hamstring in the 79th minute of the club's loss to Parramatta in round seven.
Following his one-year sabbatical from the NRL last year, the hamstring issue came just three weeks after his return from a foot injury that limited his game time early on in the season.
But the former Penrith star has already rejoined his teammates for full training and is set to take his place in the side against the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium.
"The hammy's fine - it's healed and it's happy days. I'm ready for Friday. It was always going to be a slow start for me considering I was out of the game for that long," Idris told AAP.
"In saying that, from the first game to the last game that I played, there was massive improvement, a huge difference. But I always knew that was going to happen."
Idris's return will go some way to alleviating the loss of skipper Aaron Woods, who could miss up to six weeks after hurting his own hamstring in the Tigers' last-start loss to Cronulla.
Sauaso Sue is likely to start in Woods's place, with Kyle Lovett a chance to be inserted onto the bench, however Idris admitted their embattled leader would be missed.
Woods is currently the only forward averaging more than 100 metres over the opening nine rounds, as well as 21 tackles in 58 minutes per game.
"He was playing unbelievable. He was chewing up metres, his offloads are massive for our game. It's going to be tough, but we have other forwards that just need to step up," Idris said.
"We're going to have to share the load."
The Tigers have won two of four since Ivan Cleary took over as coach and sit in 14th spot.
