Luckless Wests Tigers hooker Jacob Liddle is once again facing time in the casualty ward.
Liddle, 25, tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee during Friday’s trial game against the Roosters at Central Coast Stadium.
The club expects him to be sidelined for between four and six weeks. With the NRL season beginning next week, it means Liddle won’t be seen on the paddock until Round 3 at the earliest.
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It’s the latest in a horror injury record for the embattled rake.
Liddle made his NRL debut in 2016 for the Tigers but has managed to play only 64 games to date. The 20 appearances last year was by far the best season he’s had in a disastrous six-season career.
Liddle had two long-term shoulder injuries, and had a double shoulder operation early in his career at Concord. He also suffered a major knee injury – rupturing his ACL, PCL, and MCL – during 2019, which sidelined him for 12 months.
In spite of his insane injury toll, Liddle earned a new contract last year and was re-signed by the Tigers until the end of 2024.
Until his latest setback, he was gunning to own the club’s No.9 jumper ahead of young up-and-coming hooker Jake Simpkin.
The Tigers kick off their season proper on March 12 against Melbourne.
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