Pearce in doubt for season
Newcastle Knights half Mitchell Pearce could be out for the rest of the season after suffering a suspected torn pectoral in the thrilling win against Wests Tigers.
New South Wales will definitely have a new halfback this year, while the Knights may be without their marquee man for the remainder of their campaign.
Newcastle coach Nathan Brown said scans would determine how long the rugby league star would be out for, but was bracing for a period of anywhere between three months and the season.
‘‘It’ not great,’’ Brown said. ‘‘We’ll find out more tomorrow but certainly it’s a problem that is going sidelined with a foot issue, while centre Gerard Beale has yet to play a game for his new club as he finishes his recovery from a broken leg.
But regardless of who takes the field against the Storm, centre Peta Hiku believes a competitiveness has developed within the squad that will hold them in good stead.
‘‘In the pre-season everyone was wanting to put their best foot forward to make the team,’’ Hiku told Stuff. ‘‘The younger players were pushing the older blokes to be some sort of long-term issue. Whether it’s 12 weeks or the season, what it is, we won’t know before tomorrow.’’
‘‘It’s obviously not a great thing anytime anyone loses their halfback and one of our best players,’’ Brown said of Pearce.
Connor Watson is due back from injury next week, while Brock Lamb’s stint in reserve grade may last just one week. along which is good and that competitiveness within the team is helping us out.
‘‘I believe we’ve got a lot of young guys coming through and will do the job for us.’’
Losing Harris would be a particularly big blow.
The former Melbourne backrower has been one of the Warriors’ best in 2018, forming a lethal right-edge combination with Johnson, Hiku and winger David Fusitu’a.
Harris’ departure against the