Holmes injury revealed in wake of Latrell masterclass

Valentine Holmes had a game to forget against the Rabbitohs in Round 7, with his opposing centre Latrell Mitchell running riot and scoring four tries.

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WWOS has now revealed, however, that Holmes carried a painful leg injury into the St George Illawarra Dragons’ clash with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, shedding new light on his uncharacteristically poor performance in the loss that ultimately sealed coach Shane Flanagan’s fate.

Holmes endured one of the toughest games of his career in the 30-12 defeat, missing a career-high 10 tackles as he struggled defensively against a dominant Latrell Mitchell.

The performance drew heavy criticism from fans, with some questioning Holmes’ effort, but behind the scenes the reality was reportedly very different.

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According to reports, the Dragons star took the field under duress, carrying a significant leg injury that left him unable to move at full pace throughout the match.

Holmes reportedly made the call himself to play, believing his experience would be more valuable than throwing a younger player into a matchup against one of the game’s elite talents.

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Despite receiving a pain-killing injection before kick-off, Holmes was unable to perform at his best, with his defensive mobility severely impacted according to reports now surfacing.

While the Queensland Origin representative is not offering excuses and has not mentioned the injury, the context provides a clearer understanding of his performance potentially.

The Dragons loss ultimately proved to be the breaking point for coach Flanagan, who was informed the following morning that his tenure as Dragons coach was over, with the club confirming his departure soon after.

Now sitting winless at the bottom of the ladder after 11 straight defeats, the Dragons’ season has spiralled into crisis, with Holmes’ injury revelation adding another layer to a difficult chapter for the club.

It remains to be seen if Holmes will be named to take the field when teams are released on Tuesday, and with Flanagan now moved on, it could prove to be the most interesting team list Tuesday of the Dragons’ season.

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