Canterbury captain stretchered off during Bulldogs’ heavy loss to Canberra
Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton was taken off the field after losing feeling in one of his arms in worrying scenes on Saturday night as the Bulldogs’ run to the final swung away against a resurgent Canberra.
With four wins in their last five games, the Bulldogs arrive at Accor Stadium feeling optimistic and within striking distance of the top eight.
They left the Olympics in a negative light with a 40-16 defeat to Ricky Stuart’s Raiders amid concerns over Crichton, who has a history of nerve problems.
The 25-year-old, who was substituted after NSW’s victory in the third match of the State of Origin series on Wednesday night, was transported from the field in a medical van with 16 minutes remaining.
He collapsed following an innocuous tackle from Raiders second rower Noah Martin.
The Bulldog’s medical staff tended to him as he was taken off on a stretcher after the game was postponed for 10 minutes.
Crichton, who has played with a shoulder problem for most of the season, stood up in the tunnel before the full-time siren sounded.
But the incident was a harrowing sight for Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo and his players, who watched from the coaches’ bench.
“It’s a terrible feeling because there’s no feedback… you don’t know what it’s like,” Ciraldo said. “It’s good that he’s back on his feet now and feeling a little better.
“He was feeling pretty uncomfortable there. He wanted to get up, but I think the coaches [were] Safety first, then I made him stay there and wait until everything got better. There he lost feeling down one arm. [It was] “It’s a little scary.”
It wasn’t the first time Crichton encountered such an incident on the field. He pinched a nerve in the back of his head during a match against Newcastle last year, causing him to lose feeling in his arm.
Bulldogs hooker Kurt Mann said the pitch was “pretty chaotic” while Crichton was being assessed. “It’s definitely scary to see one of your friends lying there like that,” he said.
Crichton will have a scan on Saturday to determine what is causing the loss of feeling in his arm.
His exit from the field overshadowed the result, which was a blow to the Bulldogs’ desire to stand out in September.
Although they are two points outside the top eight in 10th place, the three teams directly above them – Manly, South Sydney and the Cowboys – will all play on Sunday.
Canterbury have a very winnable game against the Wests Tigers next Saturday night but can barely afford to be without Crichton in the final clash.
His rise to eighth place, working alongside Lachlan Galvin in the halves, was key in getting the Bulldogs’ season back on track last month.
For the Raiders, the win keeps their slim finals hopes alive and leaves them four points outside the play-off places.
Canberra resembled last year’s minor premiers with a dominant showing led by halfback Ethan Sanders and new hooker Owen Pattie, whose pair of 40-20s scored a huge success.
The Raiders were very strong despite State of Origin pair Ethan Strange and Hudson Young starting on the bench, as well as veteran Josh Papalii, who returned from a calf injury that lasted nearly three months.
Lock Zac Hosking scored three tries and fellow back-rower Martin, returning from double ankle surgery, also let his hair down.
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Chris Barrett is senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Southeast Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age newspapers.Connect with: X or email.
