Updated: Rising Cowboys second-rower Heilum Luki will not play again this season after scans confirmed he ruptured an ACL, the club has confirmed.
Luki succumbed to an ACL tear during the Cowboys’ 31-12 win over the Dragons on Friday night.
The 21-year-old hobbled from the field in Townsville after emerging from a tackle with an injured right knee in the 15th minute.
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In better news for Cowboys supporters, another young North Queensland back-rower in Jeremiah Nanai revealed at half-time in the Dragons clash that his injury suffered during the State of Origin opener wasn’t serious.
Nanai was felled by an injury to his right ankle during Queensland’s 16-10 win over New South Wales on Wednesday night.
The 19-year-old left play and made a miraculous return to the field, but he wasn’t named for the Cowboys’ match against the Dragons.
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“Fingers crossed on Tuesday I’ll find out if I can play next week,” Nanai told Johnathan Thurston on Nine’s coverage.
“It’s just a minor injury.”
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