Crichton’s miracle recovery falls short of semi-final
Jasper Bruce |
Stephen Crichton’s miracle recovery from an ankle injury has fallen short, with the Canterbury captain to miss the NRL semi-final against his old side Penrith.
Laughing off this week’s “ridiculous” media reports that likened the Bulldogs to a tawdry Panthers knock-off, coach Cameron Ciraldo confirmed Crichton attempted to train on Friday night.
The coach had listed Crichton in his extended squad on Tuesday despite the centre leaving the field during last week’s qualifying-final loss to Melbourne with a suspected syndesmosis injury.
But Sunday’s knockout semi-final will come too soon for Crichton, who could face Brisbane should the Bulldogs upset the four-time reigning premiers and advance to a grand-final qualifier.
“To give himself a chance to have a crack at training last night was an incredible effort. He just couldn’t get there,” said Ciraldo.
“We’ll stick with the team that we named.”
Ciraldo confirmed winger Marcelo Montoya will remain sidelined with his own ankle injury, keeping rookie Jethro Rinakama in the backline for just his sixth NRL game.
Matt Burton will take Crichton’s spot in the centres as planned, with Toby Sexton joining Lachie Galvin in the halves for the pair’s third game as a starting combination.
Ciraldo admitted it was always improbable Crichton would recover in time to race into the team.
“It was a long shot at the start of the week anyway and we prepared without him so we’ll stick to that,” Ciraldo said.
“It wasn’t ’til Tuesday when the physio said ‘he’s just improving rapidly and he might be a chance’. So we put him in the 22 and gave him until last night, which was basically our cut-off to see if they can play.
“He gave it every chance and for a second there we thought there was a chance, but he just couldn’t get the strength that he needed.
“If he keeps continuing like that, then anything’s possible (for next week) but we’re not looking anywhere past the next 24 hours.”
Second-rower Viliame Kikau will replace Crichton as captain after refusing scans on a facial injury for fear it could have led him to miss the do-or-die semi-final.
“I don’t think a scan was going to tell him anything that he wanted to know. It was incredibly brave from him to get through the game last week,” Ciraldo said.
Burton made a mid-game switch to the centres after Crichton’s injury against the Storm and won the 2021 premiership playing in the position at the Panthers.
He’ll still have licence to kick the ball from the outside backs, including his trademark floating bombs.
“Everyone wants to see the ‘torpie’ bombs don’t they? If he feels it, he can do it,” Ciraldo said.
It comes as Ciraldo scoffed at media reports dubbing Canterbury the “Temu Panthers” ahead of the sides’ biggest clash since Penrith’s rise to heavyweight status.
In hoisting the Bulldogs up the table, former Panthers assistant coach Ciraldo has instilled the defensive grit and effort-focused style of play that has won Penrith four-straight titles.
The team also features former Panthers premiership winners Kikau, Burton, Crichton and Jaeman Salmon, with football boss Phil Gould once filling a similar role at Penrith.
“It’s a ridiculous headline. But there have been plenty of them this year,” Ciraldo said of the “Temu Panthers” claim.
“If you look around the league, there are more Penrith Panthers players at other clubs than there are here.
“No-one really cares. If you want to call us the ‘Temu Panthers’ or whatever, we’ll have a laugh about it.”
AAP
