The matches themselves were exciting – decided by a grand total of just three points.<\/p>\n
But an entertaining Friday night of NRL has come at a sky high price for all four teams on show with some of the game\u2019s biggest stars set for significant time on the sidelines in the run home to the finals.<\/p>\n
First was the Knights-Roosters match up in Newcastle won 23-22 by the Chooks thanks to a 77th minute Daly Cherry-Evans field goal.<\/p>\n
In addition to falling to the fringe of the NRL top eight, the\u00a0Knights<\/a> also lost two of their season\u2019s standout performers compounding the existing absence of captain Kalyn Ponga who was a late withdrawal with a quad issue.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0\u2018A bit of a hiccup\u2019: Tom Dearden OUT for Cowboys after new injury blow<\/a><\/p>\n Breakout back rower Dylan Lucas left McDonald Jones Stadium in distressing scenes after suffering a gruesome ankle dislocation and was rushed to hospital with fears he will miss the rest of the season.<\/p>\n $13 million playmaker Dylan Brown also left the field in the second half after suffering a knee injury and seems certain to miss time with the Knights crossing their fingers it\u2019s not another ACL with scans over the weekend to reveal his fate.<\/p>\n \u201cDislocation straight away (for Dylan Lucas) but that\u2019s back in which is good,\u201d a grim faced Knight coach Justin Holbrook said post-match.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just have to see how much damage has been done around that.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s potentially an ACL (for Dylan Brown) but hopefully not.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t all good news for the\u00a0Roosters<\/a> who also lost veteran winger Daniel Tupou to a shoulder dislocation in the second half and will be desperately hoping the 35-year-old doesn\u2019t require season-ending surgery.<\/p>\n Alas, the carnage didn\u2019t\u00a0stop there and as the second game of the night got underway at Accor Stadium more stars succumbed to injuries.<\/p>\n With the Storm<\/a> leading 16-8 just before half time Melbourne skipper Harry Grant hobbled from the field with a hamstring injury that Storm coach Craig Bellamy later confirmed was worse than first thought.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re hopeful to see him some time as the year goes on but he might not get too many games in,\u201d Bellamy said after the match.<\/p>\n \u201cAs it cooled down it got worse, he\u2019ll go for a scan and we\u2019ll find out how bad it is.\u201d<\/p>\n In a tough match for hookers, Grant\u2019s opposite\u00a0Brandon Smith also came from the field twice with calf issues and also looks to be in serious doubt for the Bunnies\u2019 crucial Round 22 match-up with the Sharks<\/a>.<\/p>\n