Canterbury are the latest team to suffer a major injury on the eve of the NRL finals, with halfback Trent Hodkinson hurting his wrist in a thrilling 20-18 win over Newcastle.
The NSW No.7 is understood to have torn ligaments in his wrist after being felled in a brutal hit by Tariq Sims in a try assist for Tim Lafai midway through the first half.
A number of the league’s heavyweights have been forced to test their depth in the second-last round of the year, and the Bulldogs will also have to test theirs with Frank Pritchard put on report for a coathanger on Jake Mamo in just the third minute.
The win lifts Canterbury into fifth spot above South Sydney and Melbourne, although the Storm face North Queensland later on Saturday night.
In skipper Kurt Gidley’s final home game in Newcastle and the 250th NRL match of his career, the Knights looked headed for another defeat when Pritchard gave his side a 20-12 lead in the 63rd minute.
However, Gidley set up a grandstand finish with an individual try in the 70th minute.
The Knights had a number of chances in the closing stages to steal the win but the Bulldogs hung on, extending their winning streak to four and keeping their top-four hopes alive.
Newcastle’s Tariq Sims opened the scoring when he followed a 12th-minute Gidley chip towards the corner that was overrun by both Nathan Ross and Brett Morris.
Gidley’s sideline conversion was met with a roar from the crowd of 23,604.
The Knights looked certain to double their advantage on a right-side shift not long after, however Curtis Rona intercepted on the final pass and raced 95 metres to score.
In a high-octane first half, the visitors took the lead when Hodkinson found Lafai and was felled in the same motion by Sims in the 25th.
Then Damien Cook showed serious speed to burn speedster Mamo on a 45-metre run from dummy-half in the 32nd minute to give his side a 14-6 lead at the break.
The hosts kept in touch with the Bulldogs when Ross chased down a Tyrone Roberts grubber in the 52nd, before Pritchard went over for what turned out to be the match-winning try.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Minor premiership - well done. How did last years work out for you? Roosters were the dominant team of the last two months of the regular season but were feather dusters in the semis... Ambushed by the Panthers, given a second chance by the cowboys semi final phobia and got smashed in the qualifier...
JayBob
Guest
+1 Already had Lichaa, Reynolds, Tolman, & Trex out but everyone be like "Dogs lucky with injuries". Had so many more injuries than the other teams that made the 8 and it's not even close. Even with their two best out, in Graham and Bmoz, when the Dogs lost it was because they were poor, not due to being effected by injury. Plenty of excuses used for other teams before they even played a game without them.
littleredrooster
Guest
Roosters...class, depth, culture, brutality, 3 minor premierships looming. 59 point better side than Broncs, 158 point better side than Cows, 266 point better side than Sharkies, 149 better side than Storm. Better looking all round side than Dogs and, exceedingly slimmer...Con, I'll bring the pullups for you on Friday night, son.
The Barry
Roar Guru
That was a tough win. Big, vocal crowd. Knights players pumped. The refs were affected by the home town atmosphere. That was a good semi final rehearsal. The dogs had to win without Hodkinson for most of the game. They missed his ability to close out a game and left the door open several times for the Knights but still got over the line the difficult way. Didn't look good for Hodko...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Maybe we can get another half a dozen articles asking how the roosters and cowboys will cope with their injury tolls?