Newcastle backrower Dylan Lucas is going through a prolonged stint on the sidelines with coach Adam O’Brien revealing the 24-year-old’s hamstring damage is a “vital” one.
Lucas missed Saturday’s 26-6 loss to Gold Coast at CBUS Tremendous Stadium together with fellow forwards Leo Thompson (knee) and Kai Pearce-Paul (suspended) after sustaining the damage at coaching earlier within the week.
These absences opened the door for Jermaine McEwen to make his NRL debut in opposition to the Titans however O’Brien isn’t certain any of the lacking trio might be again for the round-five conflict with the Bulldogs, regardless of having a bye subsequent weekend.
“Dyl Lucas might be out for about six weeks,” O’Brien mentioned. “It’s a reasonably vital hamstring.”
“I couldn’t utterly rule Leo out, however unlikely, after which Kai’s received another sport to serve.
“We actually missed the 2 again rows and Leo, however I assumed the younger debutant was nice. He had some actually good touches.”
No matter who’s and isn’t accessible, Knights captain Kalyn Ponga totally expects the bye weekend to be removed from a break for his group after a disappointing night time on the Gold Coast.
The Titans ran in 4 tries to at least one regardless of the Knights having the sting within the territorial battle with ill-discipline and dear errors leaving O’Brien’s group with loads to ponder heading into subsequent week.
“It’ll be powerful to let that one sit for 2 weeks,” Ponga mentioned.
“Undoubtedly you wish to get again into it, get again to work and put in a efficiency that we all know we’ve received however take our classes.
“It’s a bye however we’ll nonetheless most likely work and we’ll be proper, simply be taught from this one.”
© AAP
