Valentine Holmes, a talented center who tried to salvage the Cowboys’ season, played his last minutes in a Cowboys uniform with a broken fibula, according to North Queensland coach Todd Payten.
Due to the injury, Holmes will not be able to play in Australia’s end-of-year Test series, but he will be able to make his Red V debut in the first round of the following season.
In the closing minutes, with all the odds against the Cowboys, Holmes crumpled to the ground and grasped at his lower thigh.
The 29-year-old fell to the ground without any opposition Sharks players in sight, according to video replays, raising the possibility of an Achilles injury.
Payten, nevertheless, disclosed that the team feels Holmes sustained the injury in the 69th minute when scoring a try, but he was able to get back up and play for eight more minutes.
“He’s broken his fibula – it’s not the way he wanted to finish in the jersey,” Payten stated.
“We’re not sure if he properly fractured it when he started to go off later in the contest, or if he shattered it when he scored.
We’re not entirely certain. Certainly, he knew that. He tried his hardest [playing on]. We have him with us this morning on the plane.
“Seven men
“I’m proud of all the lads.”
Danika Mason of Nine first said that club medics thought the center had broken his leg, which would probably hinder his move to the Dragons.
However, Shane Flanagan, the soon-to-be head coach, expressed his relief upon learning of the star recruit’s serious condition on Saturday morning.
“Val’s resilience is something that is overlooked,” Flanagan remarked.
“Although he doesn’t have the largest build, he performed admirably above his weight. He shown his mental toughness to play hurt on Friday night.
“I’m simply relieved that it’s not worse. While I was watching the game, I knew it was an impact injury.
“Everyone on staff suggested that it might have been a fibula fracture. They immediately got it.
“We chatted this morning. He claimed to be in a boot and to be ambulating normally, but he wouldn’t know the full extent until he received scans back in Townsville.
After his second try of the game in the 70th minute, Holmes was seen staggering back to the line, but his actions were not given any thought.
Cameron Smith stated, “Oh, that’s not good,” on Nine.
“After scoring earlier, he was clutching his lower leg, which is not ideal for Val.
Furthermore, Peter Psaltis said, “That’s not a sight you want to see.”
Payten revealed that retired winger Kyle Feldt had also had a calf injury after the game.
“We got some feedback prior to that long run that he made that his calf was gone,” he explained.
After agreeing to a three-year contract with the Red, Holmes will rejoin former coach Flanagan there in 2025.