It took less than 40 minutes of the 2011 NRL season for South Sydney's pack to be decimated by injury for the second year running.

Star Englishman Sam Burgess reinjured the shoulder he had surgery on in November, while luckless prop Scott Geddes suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon before the halftime hooter had sounded at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Ten minutes after the break, lock Ben Lowe limped off, leaving the Rabbitohs just one fit man on their bench.

It made their fightback after being down 28-6 to the Sydney Roosters early in the second half all the more brave, ultimately going down 40-29.

Burgess went under the knife after injuring his left shoulder during last year's Four Nations tournament, spending nearly three months in rehab before returning to full training less than four weeks ago.

He will have scans on Saturday to determine the extent of the damage.

Geddes has managed just 113 games as he enters his 10th season with more than half of his career wrecked by a succession of serious injuries.

He played just 12 games in yet another injury-marred year in 2010 and looks likely to miss all of 2011.

The most talked about pack in the NRL resembled a casualty ward for much of 2010, at one stage with the equivalent of a first grade scrum sitting in the stands.

They still have Michael Crocker and Jason Clark on the sidelines this year.

The injury-induced mayhem could also cost them financially after they had 14 men on the field for four tackles around the 30th-minute mark of the match.

Three quick interchanges and the injuries to Burgess and Geddes caused the confusion, which could result in a fine of between $1,000-$10,000.

There was one bright spot for the Rabbitohs - Ben Ross made it through his return to NRL football after two years on the sidelines with a career-threatening neck injury.

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