Hayne faces month off field after ankle hurt
Jarryd Hayne is expected to spend about a month on the sidelines recovering from the ankle injury he suffered in his Gold Coast team’s upset NRL loss to Newcastle. Hayne will undergo scans today. “When I looked at it yesterday, his ankle was about twice the size of the other ankle and he’ll undergo scans [this] morning,” Titans boss Graham Annesley said.
“He’s not going to be on the field for the next month or so, I would think.”
Hayne limped from the field after running into Knights halfback Trent Hodkinson as he attempted to contest a cross-field kick in the first half of Saturday’s 34-26 loss in Newcastle.
It means Parramatta fans will now have to wait until round 24 in August for a chance to see their Eels go up against the controversy-dogged star, who left them for his stint in the NFL before opting to join the Titans on his return.
The winless Titans are now facing an early-season injury crisis after Anthony Don and Kayne Lawton suffered dislocated shoulders in the same game.
Hayne’s commitment was questioned after a series of negative headlines including revelations he was dropped from the leadership group during pre-season and later reinstated.
He has until May to trigger a one- year extension on his contract.
Canberra fans’ intimidating Viking Clap has returned to the NRL — it’s the players who haven’t rediscovered their rhythm.
Coach Ricky Stuart wants the Raiders to rectify that, and fast.
“It’s very early in the season. We can’t find any rhythm at the moment but we need to find it very quickly,” Stuart said.
Handling errors hurt Canberra during their 42-16 humbling to Cronulla in their first home game of the season on Saturday night.
In a season where many were tipping them to break a 23-year premiership drought, they have started with two losses, and led the penalty count in both matches.
“When you make error on error and give away so many penalties, it all adds up and it saps energy out of you,” stand-in captain Josh Hodgson said. “Ultimately we weren’t good enough, there’s no beating around the bush.”
The time of year is one bonus for Stuart’s men and the coach found solace in the return of fullback Jack Wighton, who missed the round one golden-point loss to the Cowboys because of illness. ‘‘He had some good touches,” Stuart said.
Hodgson had his ankle strapped with ice after the game, while Joey Leilua left the field after copping a knock to his knee in the second half.
— AAP