The Newcastle Knights made it six wins in a row on Sunday but it came at a price with halfback Jackson Hastings expected to miss an extended period with a knee injury.
Hastings limped off midway through the first half following a hip-drop tackle from Bulldogs rookie Jacob Preston who was subsequently sent to the sin bin.
The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio said it’s a massive blow to the in-form Newcastle side which faces a massive test against South Sydney in Round 25.
“It looked like a textbook hip drop tackle,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“For Jackson Hastings, he left the stadium in a moon boot and it doesn’t look good.
“He’s off for scans today and we will get a true indication of just how bad the damage is.
“A suspected syndesmosis injury is the early indications from Knights coach Adam O’Brien.
“It’s a massive blow because Jackson Hastings has really come of age and has been the foil for the rise of Kalyn Ponga.
“This form that Kalyn (Ponga) has been showing has been a by-product of the control that Hastings has had on this team.
“O’Brien has indicated that Adam Clune, who is sitting in the NSW Cup, will be the man required to step-up.
“Hastings will be out and there is no doubt about that. It’s a case of just how long for.
“It’s a huge clash in the context of the top eight next Sunday in Newcastle against South Sydney.”
The Knights will be looking to equal their club record winning streak at seven when they host South Sydney on Sunday.
The Knights were sitting in 14th with a 5-9-1 record in Round 17 to seventh in Round 24 and every chance to make finals.
“A lot of rival clubs and coaches are envious of the Newcastle roster,” Riccio added.
“When you start to stack up the amount of Origin boys in the squads and Dom Young is a special talent.
“That’s why there was pressure on Adam O’Brien to keep his job. The team wasn’t firing as a roster.
“Well done to Adam O’Brien for getting the most out of this team as they run into finals.”
The seventh-placed Knights meet the eighth-placed Bunnies in a crunch clash at McDonald Jones Stadium this Sunday.