Newcastle’s finals hopes have been dealt a crushing blow after serious injuries to two key players on a night of carnage in the NRL. A hamstring issue for Harry Grant has seriously dented the Melbourne Storm’s slim top-eight chances, while wins for the Roosters and Souths were also soured by injury setbacks in a costly night of action.
Cowboys skipper Tom Dearden was among a number of high-profile stars already missing from Round 21 after being ruled out of Saturday night’s blockbuster against Brisbane with a leg injury. While Adam Doueihi’s well publicised falling out with Benji Marshall saw him dropped from the Tigers’ squad to face Canberra.
Souths hooker Brandon Smith (L), Knights forward Dylan Lucas (C) and Storm skipper Harry Grant (R) were among those injured on a night of carnage in the NRL.
And the drama continued on Friday night after Newcastle lost Origin forward Dylan Lucas and Kiwi Test star Dylan Brown to serious injuries in a heartbreaking 23-22 loss to the Roosters. Lucas was in agony after suffering a dislocated and suspected broken left ankle during a first half tackle.
A distraught Lucas was taken from the field on a medicab before being transported to hospital. The club will await further medical advice to determine the extent of the injury but it’s likely to be a season-ending blow for the Blues star – who’s scored 10 tries in 15 games in a standout season for the Knights.
Dylan Lucas was taken from the field after a horrific ankle injury during Newcastle’s one-point loss to the Roosters. Pic: Getty
Dylan Brown suffers knee injury in Knights double blow
Newcastle teammate Brown’s season also hangs in the balance after he hobbled off with a knee injury in the second half. Coach Justin Holbrook admitted it could be a season-ending ACL blow, with scans set to determine the Test half’s fate.
“The docs and physios are not thinking it is good,” the Newcastle coach said about Brown after the game. “We’ll cross our fingers we get some good news with the scans, but it’s not looking good.”
Roosters winger Daniel Tupou also went off with a shoulder dislocation that could see him sidelined for anywhere between four weeks to five months, depending on whether the veteran requires surgery. Tupou’s injury soured a thrilling one-point victory for Trent Robinson’s side that was decided by a late Daly Cherry-Evans field goal.
Harry Grant adds to injury carnage for Storm
Meanwhile, the Storm’s season from hell went from bad to worse as Maroons Origin hooker Grant hobbled off with a hamstring injury in the first half of his side’s 28-26 loss to Souths. Grant started from the bench but lasted just 20 minutes before succumbing to his latest hamstring injury that is likely to sideline him for a number of weeks.
“Going off what I had last time, it was probably three to four weeks,” a despondent Grant told Channel 9 after the game. “It’s all speculation right now, I just have to wait until I get a scan and go from there.”
Storm star Harry Grant lasted just 20 minutes after coming off the bench before succumbing to a hamstring injury in the loss to Souths. Pic: Getty
Grant joins an ever-expanding casualty ward at an injury-ravaged Storm, whose finals hopes were all but extinguished in the rollercoaster two-point defeat. The Rabbitohs climbed to sixth on the ladder courtesy of Friday night’s dramatic win, but it also came at a cost with hooker Brandon Smith aggravating a calf issue and failing to finish the game. The Kiwi Test star is set to join stars Latrell Mitchell, Cam Murray and Tallis Duncan on the sidelines for Souths.
with AAP