Souths cop massive new blow as grim news confirmed for Cody Walker's replacement
Souths coach Wayne Bennett may have to turn to English import Lewis Dodd to solve his halves crisis after fresh injuries for veteran Cody Walker and his likely replacement, Jayden Sullivan. The Rabbitohs were dealt a couple of massive new setbacks in a season that has already been cruelled by injuries to key players, with Walker suffering a fresh hamstring complaint in Saturday's loss to the Dolphins and Sullivan stretchered off while playing in the NSW Cup over the weekend.
Walker has been plagued by injuries this season and had only just returned from a groin issue he picked up in the round 14 loss to the Raiders. But things went from bad to worse for the 35-year-old in Saturday night's 50-28 flogging by the Dolphins after he picked up a new hamstring injury while setting up a try for Tallis Duncan. The veteran playmaker tried to play on but eventually had to come from the field.
The Rabbitohs star will undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury and how long he'll be sidelined for but it's another concerning development for the veteran. Walker also missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury, before spending another five games on the sidelines after tearing his calf, only to pick up the groin injury against the Raiders.
Souths were reportedly close to extending Walker for one more season before his latest injury setback, but with the club legend's body continuing to fail him, it remains to be seen whether that will be the case. And Souths' injury crisis has worsened with the news Sullivan has been ruled out for the rest of the season after breaking his leg in the reserve grade clash against the Newtown Jets over the weekend.
Sullivan would almost certainly have come into the Rabbitohs squad as Walker's replacement for Sunday's game against Manly. But he's now heading to hospital on Monday and will have to undergo surgery, leaving Bennett with yet another headache to try and solve at Souths.
🐰 INJURY WATCH: Jayden Sullivan had to be stretchered from the field in the NSW Cup. Looks like an ankle or leg injury @zerotackle pic.twitter.com/EuMxSAQ4GI
— Ethan Lee Chalk (@EthanLeeChalk) June 29, 2025
Souths have lost halfback Jayden Sullivan for the remainder of the season after he suffered a broken leg in reserve grade over the weekend.EARLY MAIL 👉 https://t.co/KXbppLea07 pic.twitter.com/3O7jtIXFbb
— SuperCoach NRL (@SuperCoachNRL) June 29, 2025
With Walker and Sullivan both set to miss Sunday's away game against the Sea Eagles, Bennett may have few other options but to include Dodd, having consistently overlooked the English import this season. Dodd was signed last year before Bennett's return as coach was confirmed, and is on a deal worth around $650,000 per season.
However, the Englishman's opportunities in the NRL have been few and far between, with Bennett preferring fellow recruit Jamie Humphreys and Walker as his first-choice halves. Sullivan has done a solid job filling in at No.6 for Walker when the veteran has been sidelined, with Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell even spending some time in the playmaking roles in the midst of the club's injury crisis.
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With Mitchell set to miss Sunday's game on Origin duty with the Blues though, Bennett could decide to turn to Wighton to fill the No.6 role, in what would be another blow to Dodd. It would mean a further reshuffle for the Rabbitohs' backline, with Isaiah Tass likely to earn a recall in the centres and Jye Gray to get another crack in the No.1 jersey, where he's impressed in the absence of Mitchell earlier this season.
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