Jack Wighton, the Rabbitohs’ five-eighth, has been found guilty of a shoulder charge following an incident during a match against the Sharks, which left Toby Rudolf concussed. The 32-year-old was subsequently sin binned and slapped with a grade two charge, putting him at risk of a three-match suspension if he chose to accept an early guilty plea. Given South Sydney’s significant injury woes, Wighton decided to contest the charge, but ultimately his defence was unsuccessful. This outcome could now see him sidelined for up to four weeks.
Wighton is pursuing an appeal for a downgrade of the charge, which could potentially reduce his ban to just two games should he succeed. His lawyer, Nick Ghabar, contended that the contact was “shoulder on shoulder” and pointed out that the incident involved Wighton’s head colliding with Rudolf’s, as mentioned in Cronulla’s medical report. However, Wighton did not provide evidence or face cross-examination during the hearing, a requirement he was not obliged to meet.
This setback adds to the Rabbitohs’ challenges, as they are already grappling with a lengthy injury list including stars Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell, Keaon Koloamatangi, and newcomer Brandon Smith, all of whom will also miss the upcoming matches. Compounding their difficulties, the team’s captain, Cameron Murray, has yet to play this season due to an Achilles injury.
As the Rabbitohs sit at the bottom of the rankings, they are set to face the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday. The current circumstances for South Sydney paint a dire picture as they strive to turn their season around amidst these mounting challenges.