Plath knee injury takes Dolphins' pain to the max
The 23-year-old sustained a suspected ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the 56-6 win over St George Illawarra on his return from a foot injury.
The Dolphins have booked Plath in to see a surgeon next week for a second opinion.
ACL's can be partially torn and players, such as current Manly prop Matt Lodge, have played on with them.
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said post-game the initial understanding was that Plath had sustained "a low-grade medial", but scans revealed a more serious problem.
Often overlooked is the fact the currently seventh-placed Dolphins have been dealing with massive absences for their entire short history.
They have been without star prop Thomas Flegler for more than a year with a shoulder nerve complaint, and captain Tom Gilbert is out of action with a ruptured pectoral until at least round 24 after missing a season and a half with a shoulder reconstruction and ACL rupture.
Compounding their woes is the fact prop Daniel Saifiti, their best player through the opening eight rounds, will consult a specialist over a shoulder injury that was more severe than first thought.
The injury to Plath is a huge blow after the tough and versatile forward won the Dolphins' player of the year in 2024.
It is also the second ACL rupture of his career, after he suffered the same injury while playing for Wynnum Manly in 2020.
Woolf was expecting tough-as-teak forward Ray Stone to return on Saturday night away against North Queensland from an AC joint injury.
The Dolphins welcomed back hooker Jeremy Marshall-King from a thigh laceration against the Dragons after he had missed five games.
Woolf said his players are not daunted by the injury crisis.
"It's a real credit to (forwards) like Felise Kaufusi and Franky Molo, who has come in and been a great addition for us, and I was really happy for him," the coach said.
"Guys like (utility) Kurt Donoghoe have just stepped up and really filled that void. Young (hooker) Harrison Graham has stepped in there and played some really good games of footy for us.
"They work really hard. All those guys we're seeing get some opportunity and improve as footy players.
"It probably has been overlooked a little bit, but it's not about who's not in the team, it's about who's on the field playing for us, and they're doing a great job."
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