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Scott Bailey

Eels' cap dispensation push grows after latest injury

Bailey Simonsson's day went south after this try, with an injury likely ending his season. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)

Parramatta coach Jason Ryles says it would be "common sense" for his club to be granted salary-cap dispensation after they lost a third player to injury through foul play.

Eels winger Bailey Simonsson's season is likely over after he suffered a dislocated ankle in Monday's golden-point loss to Wests Tigers, after he was tackled in the air.

Simonsson was rushed to hospital on Monday night after Tigers winger Luke Laulilii tackled him in the air and left him off balance.

Laulilii was sin-binned as a result of the contact, and faces a one-match ban with an early guilty plea with the NRL able to factor Simonsson's injury into his punishment.

Simonsson.
Simonsson is wrapped up in a tackle. He was rushed to hospital after his later ankle injury. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)

His injury comes after J'maine Hopgood also suffered a season-ending ACL rupture from a hip-drop tackle last month, while fullback Isaiah Iongi is sidelined for at least two months with a syndesmosis rupture after a similar tackle.

NRL rules currently do not provide clubs with salary-cap exemptions for injuries suffered as a result of foul play, but the Eels had already planned on raising the topic before Monday's drama.

"Surely I think it'd be something worth considering," Ryles said. 

"Foul play, season-ending injury, there should possibly be something where common sense would prevail.

"I'm not sure exactly how that works. I asked our GM last week and he's going to follow that up. That's above my pay grade.

"The players don't actually mean to do it. We understand that, but there's a reason those actions are outlawed, because of what we're going through now."

Eels coach Jason Ryles.
Eels coach Jason Ryles emerged with more injury headaches from the loss to the Tigers. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Simonsson's injury was only part of the issue for the Eels, who used three five-eighths, four centre combinations and four back-rowers in Sunday's defeat.

It came as they lost Sean Russell to a concussion and five-eighth Jonah Pezet to a hamstring strain. 

Debutant Apa Twidle, who scored a double, also suffered a minor shoulder injury.

Russell is automatically out of next week's clash with Gold Coast, while the Eels also fear Pezet will miss a couple of weeks.

Will Penisini is also considered no chance to return from a groin injury, and while Joash Papalii can play five-eighth the Eels backline is in shambles.

"I reckon I'm more chance of playing than Jonah next week," Ryles said.

"With a hammy like that, that he had an incident with, that's generally a couple of weeks. But I'm not a doctor, we'll find out this week."

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