The Newcastle Knights' injury woes have continued, with a playmaker being admitted to the hospital and a cross-code recruit reportedly suffering an injury.
Ahead of their Round 1 match against the Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien has confirmed that out-of-favour playmaker Jackson Hastings was hospitalised due to a leg infection.
Set to feature in the halves alongside Will Pryce in the NSW Cup this weekend, he has subsequently been ruled out for this week, and no return timeline has been given on when he could potentially return to the field.
Contracted until the end of the 2025 NRL season, the $700,000-a-season halfback is not set to be handed an extension at the end of the season by the Knights but an impactful 12 months could see him land suitors elsewhere.
"He won't take part this weekend," Knights coach Adam O'Brien said viaย The Newcastle Herald.
"He's actually in hospital on a drip with an infection in his leg."
This comes as another playmaker, Tyson Gamble has undergone back surgery and will be unavailable for selection for the first few rounds of the season.
Yet to be given a return date, his injury will give Fletcher Sharpe and Jack Cogger an extended opportunity to lock down the halves spot in the team - an area the club struggled in last season.
"He had it a little bit in the past but it settled down with some cortisone injections," O'Brien said.
"This one just got dislodged. At the end of the day, get in, get it fixed, and he'll be right.
"He was in a considerable amount of discomfort ... it's done now, he's back. He'll be back up and running in a week or two, and we'll get on with it."
The Newcastle Heraldย also reports that cross-code recruit Taj Annan sustained an injury, ruling him out of Round 1 and potentially out for longer, whilst forward recruit Francis Manuleleua was suspended and will be absent for Round 1.
