DONNY Freeman will consult an orthopaedic surgeon this week but faces at least six weeks on the sideline, and possibly the season, with a syndesmosis injury in a major blow to the Hunter Wildfires' Shute Shield premiership hopes.
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Freeman injured his right ankle and also damaged the medial ligament in his knee when tackled from behind early in the Wildfires' 31-10 win over Easts at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday.
"He had scans on Monday and has a syndesmosis ankle sprain that we are waiting to see a surgeon about," Wildfires coach Scott Coleman said. "Once he sees the surgeon we can determine the best course of action. Is it rest or will it require surgery?"
There are eight rounds remaining.
"The quicker he gets diagnosed, the quicker we can start the recovery,' Coleman said. "It will be a minimum six weeks. Potentially he could be out until the semis or even the season. That is not the news we want to hear.
"It is a massive concern. He is a big part of our team and a big part of what we are about."
Freeman, 22, is one of the premier openside breakaways in the Shute Shield.
The former Australian Schoolboys was third in the Catchpole Medal player of the year award in 2022 and, if anything, has been in better form this season.
Hamish Moore, a hooker, played the final 65 minutes against Easts at breakaway and was man of the match. Morgan Inness has also played seven this season.
"They are good players but they are Donny Freeman at seven," Coleman said. "Hamish will most likely get the job. He is obviously a very good hooker, but we have a bit of cover there in Andrew Tuala and Phil Bradford. Phil is back in three weeks from a calf injury.
"George Noa and Francis Ieremia are there as well. We have some good cover in the back-row. We just don't have a genuine seven. "
Coleman has ruled out citing the Easts prop who brought Freeman to ground despite similarities to "hip drop" tackles which have been outlawed in rugby league.
"The Easts player tried to tackle him from behind but couldn't get Donny to ground because of his leg drive," Coleman said. "There was no malice in it. It was one of those tackles that sometimes happen."
The Wildfires sit on top of the ladder as the competition breaks this weekend for a general bye.
"The bye has come at a great time," Coleman said. "We have limped our way to it. We have told the players to have a weekend away from rugby and come back Tuesday ready to rip in ahead of Eastwood at Eastwood.
"We have to keep working hard. Our catch phases this week has been; winners focus on winning and working hard, losers focus on winners and whingeing."
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