BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders’ young recruit Coby Black reportedly suffered a neck injury in December, casting doubt on his availability to start the season in March, per Fox Sports.

The reporting said it was a nerve injury, and was not a fracture, but this is still a startling reveal. Necks are not something to take lightly, and while surgery wasn’t required, anything involving nerves demands caution. As the article said, it’s not clear on the timetable for his return. Given this, I’m not surprised the Raiders are being cagey about his ability to play the most physically demanding contact sport on earth in six weeks’ time. Caution is both urged and warranted.

We wish Black nothing but the best in his recovery. He’s got time on his side, and this year was never going to be make or break for him. Getting his body 1000 per cent should be the priority before any concerns about getting on the park are addressed. He is also in the first year of a three year deal, so there’s no personal need for him to push himself to get healthy. This is not the thing to rush.

For the club it does clarify one problem and exacerbate another. The Raiders had been clear in recent weeks that Sanders would be driving the bus from day one this season. Given the injury happened back in December, it’s hard to know how much influence it had over that decision. Stuart has been steadfast in the assessment that Ethan would be given first crack even before the club signed Black. If anything this has just clarified the matter.

It does mean though that depth at the position looks shaky in the short to medium term. This was a problem that hadn’t quite been put to bed by Black’s signature, but is distinctly more worrying without him. However you want to cut it, any other option involves someone playing out of a position, in a role that doesn’t suit them. Laurie, Weekes, Sasagi or Pattie are all better off doing other things. None are preferred as a halfback. Given their top 30 is full, the only other option is to drag players from the supplemental and training lists. Ethan Alaia or Jalen Afamasaga would be asked to shoulder an enormous load of jumping up the depth chart.

My guess is that if push came to shove, Laurie would be given first shot. He’s got a few more years of footy experience and his injection would upset the rest of the roster the least. While his defence has never been a strength, it seems fairer to ask him to defend in the front line than other players outside the preferred 17 (like Alaia or Afamasaga). He’s playing for his career, so one would expect nothing but commitment. Sasagi would be a defensive choice and one I can see Stuart making. Any of these pathways would heap even more responsibility onto Ethan Strange and Kaeo Weekes.

Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. Hopefully in six weeks we’re talking about Black making a successful comeback to full contact training before working his way slowly back to competitive football over the first half of the season.

The Sportress is transitioning away from Facebook and Twitter for distribution so sign up to the email below before we disappear from your feed altogether. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.