Jake Maizen, the former Whitehaven player, is set for a spell out of the game although he is not as badly hurt as was feared on Sunday.
Now with Widnes the Vikings have given an update after he had been cleared of a fractured neck following a tackle during the Championship game with Doncaster.
He had spent nearly 20 minutes being attended to on the pitch and the game was held up for over an hour while a doctor was with him in the dressing room.
Widnes have said that the Italian international has been cleared of a serious injury issue – though he will require some time away from the game after sustaining a concussion and muscle damage to his neck.
There is no fracture and a Widnes spokesman said: “We’re pleased to share a positive update on Jake Maizen following the incident during the match which saw play suspended as he was stretchered from the field.
“Jake has undergone medical assessment and we can confirm there is no neck fracture, which is a huge relief. He has, however, sustained a concussion and some muscular strain in his neck.
“As per concussion protocols, Jake will take the necessary time away from training and competition to ensure a full and safe recovery. We’ll continue to support him throughout his rehabilitation and provide further updates as needed. We thank everyone for their concern and well wishes for Jake.”
Maizen joined the Vikings midway through this season on an 18-month deal. The Australian had previously spent time with Halifax and Whitehaven.
After he had been stretchered off referee Cameron Worsley stopped the game before heading down the tunnel with Maizen to ensure he received the appropriate care.
Ironically the injury-causing tackle had been made by Edene Gebbie, a former team-mate at Whitehaven – and the Doncaster winger was shown a red card for the tackle when the players returned to the field.
