Injury adds insult to Brothers’ misfortune
A POTENTIALLY serious spinal injury to Brothers fullback Ben Joseph soured an exciting FNQ Rugby clash at West Barlow Park at the weekend.
Joseph sustained a knock to the back early in Southside’s convincing 31-20 win on Saturday afternoon, forcing the game to be stopped for almost 30 minutes.
Paramedics treated him on the ground before rushing him to Cairns Hospital for X-rays. Joseph was released later that evening and is on medication.
“It looked really bad,” Brothers captain Jason Furze said.
“It was an accident but you could see he was in a lot pain. He’s pretty tough, Ben, so we thought it was serious.”
“He’s got some pretty bad bruising so hopefully he’s back for finals.”
Southside emerged from the extended break the better team, catching Brothers offguard late in the first half.
Southside president Sam Poa said former AFL-listed footballer, Peter Labi, was outstanding for the third-place Crusaders in a best-afield performance.
“That guy is a freak,” Poa said. “He is such an awesome player.”
“The coach (Otto Suavai) has moved him into the centres. He’s got speed, power, good hands and can jump. This is his first season with us and he’ll go a long way.
“This is his first year playing and he’s loving the club atmosphere and the boys.”
Labi was previously on the Carlton Blues’ AFL playing list though he never played a senior game for the club.
He later played a season in the AFL Cairns competition for North Cairns Tigers in 2013.
Furze said Labi proved the difference for Southside throughout the match.
“They would draw us onto one side and then he (Labi) would just kill us through the middle of the ground,” he said.
Southside will play JCU Mariners next week while Brothers have the bye.