Peter Wallace amazed at Kurt Capewell’s toughness to play with a ruptured testicle

CRONULLA will be buoyed by the toughness of Kurt Capwell, who looks set to play against Penrith with a ruptured testicle he suffered against Canterbury in Round 25.

Panthers assistant coach Peter Wallace knows exactly what Capewell is going through, after he suffered the same injury in his career.

However Wallace is flabbergasted that Capewell could be set to take the field so soon after suffering the injury, according to James Maloney.

“I I was talking to Wall (Wallace) about it because he is the only one I know who has had it,” Maloney said.

“So I asked Wall and he said he couldn’t have played for four weeks after his injury.

“And Wall’s tough. Wall is very tough so that tells you something.”

Maloney is a former teammate of Capewell’s and rang him during the week to check on his old friend after the freak injury.

However, rather than check how he was Maloney chose a different tact to cheer Capewell up.

“I find it really funny,” Maloney said.

“Not if it’s you, if it’s you it’s not funny.

“I texted him (Capewell) and said is it bad that I found this hilarious and he said, no I’ve been laughing all week.”

Maloney is not known for his serious side and joked that the Panthers might have to target Capewell on Friday night.

“I think he is wearing some sort of guard on it,” Maloney said.

“Do you get suspended if you squirrel grip him?”

“Would that make him go off? Would we be down to 16 men if someone grabbed him by the cannasters?

“You could send some traffic there. It’s a small target but you can try your best.”

One player that won’t be there for the Sharks is Wade Graham, who was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury suffered against the Roosters.

Maloney knows better than most what the Sharks’ second-rower can bring to a side, after winning a premiership with him in 2016.

“Graham is a big key and a huge loss,” Maloney said.

“He’s got a lot of ‘eyes up’ footy in him. He’s got a calmness about him and he’s also very good defensively.

“He get’s physical and pressures your ball players so there is a lot that he brings to a side.”

However Maloney backed the Sharks to come up with a plan, that would lessen the impact of Graham’s absence.

“It will just change the dynamic of their approach, but they still have strong halves and a really good pack,” Maloney said.

“Val is playing outstanding at fullback, so there is a lot of guys there to be pretty concerned about.

“I know Val wanted to play fullback and prove to everybody that he can play that position well and he has done that, so he will be a real handful.”

Maloney will be coming up against a number of his former teammates on Friday night.

However he revealed the banter has not been coming in as thick and fast as one might expect.

“I texted Capes because of his injury and I’ve spoken to Wade after I heard the bad news that he has gone through.

“Other than that I’ll catch up with them after the game, hopefully after a win.”

The Sharks host the Panthers on Friday night to kick off week two of the finals, with the winner to take on Melbourne in the preliminary final.