Kaizer Chiefs have sorely missed Rushwin Dortley for the last 18 months. Do they have a clone of the talented central defender under their noses?

Chiefs have a new Dortley

Kaizer Chiefs fans have been deprived of the talents of Rushwin Dortley for 18 months after he picked up a serious knee injury in March 2025. The gifted left-footer is back in the fold and was named on the bench against Golden Arrows in the club’s last Betway Premiership outing. 24-year-old Dortley’s younger brother Emile is part of the academy setup at Naturena, and there are clear similarities in their playing styles. Will we see them together in the first team one day alongside exciting attacking prospect Steven Mendes?

Also read: Kaizer Chiefs star’s nightmare could soon be over

🎥 | 𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗬 — 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦! 💛🖤

The composure is almost ridiculous. So calm, so nonchalant and at times it genuinely feels like watching a copy-and-paste of his older brother, Rushwin Dortley. 😂

Same confidence. Same refusal to panic under…

— CHIEFS CENTRAL (@ChiefsCentralZA) September 30, 2026

Mixed news on the injury front

Although several Chiefs players are sidelined, it’s not all doom and gloom. Long-term absentee Langelihle Phili could be back in mid-October, while Dortley was an unused substitute against Golden Arrows. The talented operator hasn’t played a competitive match for Chiefs since sustaining a serious knee injury in March 2025. His return will be a welcome sight for supporters and especially the coaching staff, who would love to utilise his left-footedness and ball-playing ability in a back three.

When are Kaizer Chiefs next in action?

Chiefs have drawn four of their seven league matches, dropping points in four of their last five. Their next outing in the league is against Stellenbosch on Saturday, 17 October at 15:30. 

Will Dortley become a key player again once he’s back to full match sharpness? Click the red comments banner below and have your say 🙂