The Sydney Roosters have confirmed forward Egan Butcher’s full ACL rupture.
Butcher will miss the rest of the season due to the knee injury, which is expected to take nine to twelve months to recuperate.
Butcher is unlikely to return to training before Christmas, leaving him scurrying to be ready for the first round of the 2025 NRL season, where he is still under contract with the Roosters.
The injury occurred during the Roosters’ Round 12 triumph over the Canberra Raiders, in which the tri-colours dominated the fight.
Butcher, who came off the bench for Trent Robinson’s team, lasted only 12 minutes before suffering an injury and leaving the game.
Butcher has made eight appearances for the Roosters this year, bringing his career total to 56. Despite playing fewer minutes in those games, he still made an impact for the Roosters.
His upcoming absence for the rest of the season would most certainly prompt coach Robinson to hunt for a second-row replacement, with Sitili Tupouniua set to return from a concussion any week now, and Siua Wong also on the outside looking in in recent weeks.
Robinson also doesn’t have much time to decide on his replacement, with the Roosters facing the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 13 before a bye in Round 14.
The Roosters will be seeking for more than one replacement in the forwards this week, as Lindsay Collins and Spencer Leniu were both selected for their respective states in Game 1 of the Origin Series.
Terrell May is set to start, while another spot on the bench opens up.
