According to The Star, Aaron Groom has made himself unavailable for selection at Batley on Sunday, is this the end of our greatest signing in 10 years?

By James Collins
Rugby League
INTERNATIONAL half-back Aaron Groom has been ruled out of Sheffield Eagles team for the play-off crunch game at Batley Bulldogs on Sunday.


The Fijian star is believed to have made himself 'unavailable' for selection but the club will not go into detail. "Aaron is not available for the Batley game due to certain circumstances," said coach Mark Aston. "I will have to choose the players available and do what we think is best for the team."

It is not clear if it means Groom will return to the squad for the Eagles final games of the league season as they chase a play-off spot. Groom was a major signing from top Australian club Canterbury Bulldogs and a key player for Fiji in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. But the half-back has been plagued by knee injuries which needed major surgery last year. That's restricted him to 14 games in nearly two years at the Eagles - with only six appearances this season. Groom was expected to return for last week's game against Barrow, after being out with a virus, but wasn't in the squad.

In Groom's absence the scrum-half role partnering stand-off Brendon Lindsay has been shared by Dane McDonald and Matty Brooks. The club could try to bring in a new half-back although that would be doubtful before Sunday's game

A flop of Francis Jeffers proportion.

Comparing him to Jeffers is just harsh

two major knee injuries doesnt help any one. We need another scrum half real quick mcdonald just doesnt cut it and tubbs doesnt like brooks there for some reason.

I know, poor old Franny.

I think Tubbs will be quite busy during the close season - maybe before.........

When's the deadline ?

You know when the deadline is griff

,I take it someone could be coming in


Whats the stiry on why he's not playing,Has he got the big time charlies and got the huff

Is it the lad from donny?

Is who the lad from Donny?

You know when the deadline is griff

,I take it someone could be coming in


Whats the stiry on why he's not playing,Has he got the big time charlies and got the huff



is the donny scrum half " I take it someone could be coming in" - I hear he is good?

Doncasters scrum half is Craig Fawcett or could it be Dobek who has just come on loan from Fev.

Dobek's good. Saw him for their second grade last year. Good hands.

Groom's a waste of space, only plays 15 minutes before he gets injured and he's not that good anyway!!

Not him then it's simon brown - a stand off who can kick !!!

There was a brief interview with Tubbs on the 07:30 sports bulletin on Radio Sheffield.

The club have taken legal advice but at the moment didn't want to elaborate further and he hasn't been seen at the club.

My view - a good player on his day but those days have been too few.

I think Mark is like of lot of us Eagles supporters who only want players at the club who want to play 100% for the Eagles but the player is under contract.

When he turned it on he was an excellent player but you could probably count on one hand the amount of times that happened, and his body is made out of play dough or something, it's not a big loss.

I genuinely thougt Aaron was the player to fire us to a title challenge this year, like we all say those days were just too few. He's a good player and a good lad but the recent behaviour can't be condoned I'm afriad. You either give your all for the club or you go.

Does anyone know what he's actually done?

Some people obviously but to be honest if the club are seeking legal advice I think it's better to keep things off here until it's sorted.

I'll send you a text saying what I know, like Airborne said better off keeping it out of the public domain.