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Wests Tigers stars battling injury ahead of clash with Dragons
By Christian Nicolussi and James Phelps From: The Daily Telegraph September 21, 2010
WESTS Tigers are at risk of fielding a team of wounded warriors in their grand final qualifier on Saturday night, with halfback Robert Lui the biggest concern with a badly corked thigh.
Lui will today spend a fourth straight day in a hyperbaric chamber to ensure he is fighting fit for the clash against the Dragons.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal fearless forward Bryce Gibbs hasn't trained for three weeks due to an ankle injury and Gareth Ellis nearly dozed off at halftime last Friday because of a combination of prescription drugs.
The Wests Tigers may have survived a horror injury toll last week - Chris Lawrence, Blake Ayshford, Benji Marshall, Gibbs and Ellis were all in the casualty ward - but the club still have significant injury concerns ahead of their trip to ANZ Stadium.
Lui suffered a corked thigh last Thursday during a final training run in Canberra and played against the Raiders injured before he stayed up all Friday night to hasten his recovery. He was hobbling at Concord Oval yesterday.
"I did a bit of bike [work] today, but it's still a bit sore. I was in the hyperbaric chamber today and I'll be in there again tomorrow, then I'll probably try and run Wednesday," Lui said. "I pulled through the Raiders game OK and didn't get any sleep after the match because I was treating the injury. I've never had a problem with the thigh, and if worst comes to worst I'll needle it. I won't be missing Saturday."Englishman Ellis was on painkillers all week for a back complaint but had a reaction to them that caused him to almost doze off during the break at Canberra Stadium.
Club physio Andrew Leeds had to keep a dazed Ellis focused on the 40 minutes ahead.
"I took painkillers building up to the game to get them into my system," Ellis said. "I then took a caffeine tablet to counter the drowsiness from the painkillers, and that resulted in me getting spaced out and sleepy at halftime.
"I got a nudge from a few of the boys telling me to just get through the next 40 minutes.
"Once I got back out there I was fine."
Ellis said he did not want to rely on further medication for his back and was in much better shape than at the same stage last week.
"I just have to make sure I don't stir it up more than it is," Ellis said.
"Hopefully with it feeling better I can get out on the field a bit this week. I haven't done anything for a couple of weeks now, it's disappointing just watching, but I knew if I wanted to play I couldn't have got out and got involved."
Ellis said the Tigers would need to be switched on the entire 80 minutes if they were to beat the Dragons and advance to the decider.
As for Gibbs, it's been an amazing feat to get through his usual amount of work on the field despite not taking to the training paddock.
Gibbs was in a "moon boot" yesterday to protect his injured right ankle.
The fiery prop said he would not train again this week but declared himself a certain starter for the clash.
By Christian Nicolussi and James Phelps From: The Daily Telegraph September 21, 2010
WESTS Tigers are at risk of fielding a team of wounded warriors in their grand final qualifier on Saturday night, with halfback Robert Lui the biggest concern with a badly corked thigh.
Lui will today spend a fourth straight day in a hyperbaric chamber to ensure he is fighting fit for the clash against the Dragons.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal fearless forward Bryce Gibbs hasn't trained for three weeks due to an ankle injury and Gareth Ellis nearly dozed off at halftime last Friday because of a combination of prescription drugs.
The Wests Tigers may have survived a horror injury toll last week - Chris Lawrence, Blake Ayshford, Benji Marshall, Gibbs and Ellis were all in the casualty ward - but the club still have significant injury concerns ahead of their trip to ANZ Stadium.
Lui suffered a corked thigh last Thursday during a final training run in Canberra and played against the Raiders injured before he stayed up all Friday night to hasten his recovery. He was hobbling at Concord Oval yesterday.
"I did a bit of bike [work] today, but it's still a bit sore. I was in the hyperbaric chamber today and I'll be in there again tomorrow, then I'll probably try and run Wednesday," Lui said. "I pulled through the Raiders game OK and didn't get any sleep after the match because I was treating the injury. I've never had a problem with the thigh, and if worst comes to worst I'll needle it. I won't be missing Saturday."Englishman Ellis was on painkillers all week for a back complaint but had a reaction to them that caused him to almost doze off during the break at Canberra Stadium.
Club physio Andrew Leeds had to keep a dazed Ellis focused on the 40 minutes ahead.
"I took painkillers building up to the game to get them into my system," Ellis said. "I then took a caffeine tablet to counter the drowsiness from the painkillers, and that resulted in me getting spaced out and sleepy at halftime.
"I got a nudge from a few of the boys telling me to just get through the next 40 minutes.
"Once I got back out there I was fine."
Ellis said he did not want to rely on further medication for his back and was in much better shape than at the same stage last week.
"I just have to make sure I don't stir it up more than it is," Ellis said.
"Hopefully with it feeling better I can get out on the field a bit this week. I haven't done anything for a couple of weeks now, it's disappointing just watching, but I knew if I wanted to play I couldn't have got out and got involved."
Ellis said the Tigers would need to be switched on the entire 80 minutes if they were to beat the Dragons and advance to the decider.
As for Gibbs, it's been an amazing feat to get through his usual amount of work on the field despite not taking to the training paddock.
Gibbs was in a "moon boot" yesterday to protect his injured right ankle.
The fiery prop said he would not train again this week but declared himself a certain starter for the clash.
