- Resurgent Cantebury Bulldogs destroy hapless Titans at Belmore
- Could go from bad to worse for Titans with skipper injured in whiplash
- Hobbled off the field and could not return
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Gold Coast Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui limped off the field with a suspected knee injury in a hammer blow for the club already on the receiving end of a 32-0 thrashing at the hands of the Bulldogs on Saturday.
The pressure valve has been well and truly released on Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo after his side thumped a hapless Gold Coast 32-0 at Belmore.
But it was a horror return to Belmore for Des Hasler – who coached the Bulldogs to the 2016 grand final – and lost captain and forward Fa’asuamaleaui to a suspected serious knee injury.
The Queensland and Australia forward was in clear discomfort as he was assisted off the pitch with 12 minutes left on the clock and the result already beyond doubt.
Fa’asuamaleau had to be helped off the field by two trainers after a seemingly innocent hitup saw his colleague Max King fall awkwardly on him.
“The medical staff is still working and testing Tino’s knee in a private room in the locker room,” Matt Russell said on Fox League.
‘They expect to know more in full time, but of course scans will be needed to confirm the damage.’
Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is being helped off the field after injuring his knee against the Bulldogs
The Gold Coast Titans are struggling early in the season after two heavy losses and injuries to key forwards
It was an unhappy return to Belmore for former Bulldogs coach Des Hasler, who took the club to the 2016 NRL finals
Fa’asuamaleaui is an integral part of the Titans squad and was re-signed on a 10-year lifetime deal in February.
The extent of the injury is unclear, but any extended spell on the sidelines would be devastating as the club are already missing hard-running striker David Fifita.
“It’s definitely his knee,” coach Des Hasler confirmed after the game.
‘I guess at the moment it can vary from MCL to ACL. So once we get it confirmed through some scans, we’ll know a little more.
“But it didn’t look good to leave.”
Medical staff have reportedly cleared Fa’asuamaleaui of an ACL tear, but he could still miss significant time in a major blow to the Titans’ season.
“Well, if it’s not, that’s a positive result,” Hasler replied. “But we won’t know until it’s confirmed.”