Knights grapple with significant injuries
The Newcastle Knights faced a challenging night, suffering a 23-22 loss to the Sydney Roosters, a match that also saw key players Dylan Lucas and Dylan Brown sustain potentially serious injuries. Lucas was stretchered off the field with a dislocated and fractured ankle, while Brown went down with a knee injury. The early diagnosis for Brown’s injury is not promising, with coach Justin Holbrook stating that doctors and physiotherapists do not believe it looks good.
Lucas’s injury occurred in the first half when he was brought down after taking a penalty tap, with his left foot bending in an outward direction. Teammates quickly called for trainers and a medicab, indicating the severity of the situation. Medical professionals attended to Lucas, who was visibly in pain, before he was taken to the sheds. Reports from the field suggested his ankle was dislocated and later popped back in on the field, with further assessment needed to determine the extent of the damage.
The injury to Lucas appeared to galvanise the team, who were already without Kalyn Ponga due to a leg injury. Despite the setback, Newcastle managed to take the lead through a try by Mat Croker. However, their injury woes continued into the second half.
Further setbacks and a close contest
Upon returning for the second half, the Knights lost Francis Manuleleua and Tyson Frizell to head injury assessments. Shortly after, Dylan Brown sustained his knee injury while approaching a rival player, twisting awkwardly after making a hard step on his left foot before encountering Reece Robson. Holbrook confirmed post-match that the diagnosis for Brown’s knee injury was not looking good, though the club expressed hope it was not an anterior cruciate ligament injury, noting it was the same knee that had sidelined him earlier in the year. Brown is scheduled for scans in the coming days.
The Roosters also experienced an injury during the match, with Daniel Tupou being taken to the sheds with a suspected shoulder injury. Despite the injuries on both sides, the game remained a tight contest. James Tedesco of the Roosters scored a hat-trick, crossing for his third try in the 58th minute. Billy Smith appeared to secure the win for the Roosters in the 68th minute, but Bradman Best responded quickly to level the scores with six minutes remaining.
In the final moments of the game, Daly Cherry-Evans sealed a 23-22 victory for the Roosters by slotting a field goal. Holbrook expressed both devastation and pride in his team’s performance given the circumstances of the injuries. Phoenix Crossland, who captained the team on the night, echoed his coach’s sentiments, stating his pride in the team’s fight against a largely full-strength Roosters side.
Earlier in the match, Tedesco’s step led to an early try for the Roosters, which was initially appealed by some Knights players for obstruction, though the appeal was denied. Newcastle then gained momentum, with Manuleleua scoring to give them a 10-6 lead at half-time. The Roosters‘ Egan Butcher and Nat Butcher were placed on report for high shots on Knights players, though both incidents resulted only in penalties.
The loss marks the third consecutive defeat for Newcastle, and their first loss in six home games. The Roosters, meanwhile, secured their fifth straight win, temporarily moving into second position and maintaining a perfect record this season when scoring more than 20 points. This victory also marks their fifth win from ten games when trailing at halftime, and their first one-point win since 2023. The Roosters have now won six consecutive matches against the Knights and ten of their last eleven encounters.
Read Also
Source: nine.com.au
