South Sydney believes an illegal hip-drop tackle was responsible for the foot injury that will see Shaquai Mitchell sidelined for at least eight weeks.
Mitchell was hurt in the 41st minute of the match on Friday night, and was on crutches after the 20-18 loss to the Roosters.
Scans on Monday confirmed a lisfranc injury.
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The Sydney Morning Herald reports the Rabbitohs were furious that Victor Radley was not cited over the tackle, which saw him land on the back of Mitchell’s legs.
“I don’t know what a textbook hip-drop tackle is, but that looked like one,” Mitchell’s teammate Damien Cook told the Herald.
“Sitting on the back of someone’s ankles and putting them in a bad position doesn’t help.
“The game needs to crack down on it straight away to prevent any more injuries for any team. Victor is a competitor, he wants to stop that player and bring him to the ground by any means necessary. It’s something we all need to have coached out of us.
“Shaq left the game in a moonboot and on crutches, which is never good. It’s pretty devastating for him because he had a great pre-season, and we’ve all heard a little bit about his story recently, and where he’s come from. He’s a forward with great footwork and skill who we will now miss.”
Mitchell earned a two-year deal with the Rabbitohs after an intense training program that saw him drop nearly 50 kilograms, telling 9News in February he was in the best shape of his career.
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“I’m strong, I’m powerful. The mental state, the emotional state, the spiritual state … I’ve never been this strong in my life and now I can show my kids that anyone can do anything,” he said
The Rabbitohs, who have won only one of their first three matches, face Manly on Saturday night.
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