ORANGE CYMS’ Group 10 premier league title defence has gotten off to a shaky start with the green and golds’ 20-16 loss to the Cowra Magpies in the Bathurst Knockout on Friday night compounded by the loss of star five-eighth Warick Colley.
Colley, a former NSW Country half, broke his left ankle in two places and tore all of the ligaments off the bone 10 minutes into CYMS’ clash with the Magpies.
Standing at five-eighth off the scrum, Colley hit the ball up into the Cowra defence and knew instantly he was in trouble.
“The players weight fell on the outside of my ankle. I knew straight away I’d done something pretty serious. I heard a loud snap. It’s not good news,” Colley said.
Colley travelled to Sydney yesterday to see a surgeon.
He is expected to go under the knife this week to re-set his ankle.
The injury is set to seat Colley in the stands for a minimum of three months, breaking up the successful premiership-winning halves combination that led the green and golds to the 2011 Group 10 title with a 30-12 win over Lithgow last season.
The other half of that combination, captain-coach Mick Sullivan, was devastated for Colley.
“To lose a player of that calibre is always tough,” Sullivan said.
“It’s tough to take any positives out of (Friday night’s) game.”
The green and golds are going for a third straight Group 10 first grade title.
Colley, 35, said he wasn’t sure whether or not he’d be back for CYMS this season.
The injury may even force the former Group 10 player of the year into retirement.
“I don’t know. It’s sad to think about it,” Colley said.
“I was tossing up whether or not this would be my last year. The travel to Orange (from Mudgee) is getting a bit much. There’s a possibility I won’t play again but I won’t make any decisions yet.
“I’ve got to have surgery on it. I’ll know more after that.
“I’ve been playing for 15, 17 years and I’ve never had a serious injury before. I can’t complain.”
CYMS kick-off the Group 10 regular season against Orange Hawks on Saturday, April 28.
