JUST when David Seage's fortunes looked like they were starting to turn, Lady Luck looked him in the eye, turned and walked away, deserting him once again.
The injury-plagued Newcastle fullback suffered cruciate damage to his right knee last night and will require a knee reconstruction - his second in three seasons. Seage was at home by the end of the match, his season, and his off-season, in all likelihood, over.
"He's done his cruciate, I suspect," club doctor Peter McGeoch said. "We'll get some tests done but we expect he'll need a reconstruction. He's devastated. He's been through a fairly trying time.
"But hopefully things go well this time and he won't miss too much of next season."
Seage suffered the injury in somewhat innocuous circumstances. Bringing the ball back on a kick return after just six minutes, he was heading into a waiting Matt Orford. But before he even got to the Manly halfback, he grimaced and fell to the surface. As the realisation kicked in, he yelled: "No."
The 26-year-old had already been one of the unluckiest players to pull on a rugby league boot. Brett Papworth meets Paul Green meets David Woods.
In 2004, his was the forgotten injury of the Newcastle season. Against the Eels at Parramatta Stadium, he ruptured his ACL - in his left knee - and needed a reconstruction. It raised barely a ripple because a certain teammate by the name of Andrew Johns went down with a similar injury in the same game.
Just to rub salt into some fairly deep wounds, his rehabilitation was complicated twice - by infection, and then when he fell trying to get out of the shower.
This season, he has suffered a number of hamstring injuries, but he no doubt thought his luck was about to turn. Just nine days ago, as he started preparing to head back to Queensland, the backing of Johns led to him being re-signed for next season. Then he was called into the starting side for last night's first qualifying final when Milton Thaiday succumbed to his ankle injury.
This was just Seage's 16th first-grade game for the Knights in his three seasons. His appearances in the top grade have only just shaded the flu for regularity.
It was not a good half for the Knights, even forgetting the scoreboard.
Second-rower Steve Simpson, probably only just below Johns and Danny Buderus in terms of importance for this side, damaged his shoulder after 15 minutes as he charged into Sea Eagles front-rower Jason King.
He did return late in the first half, but still faces a battle to be fit for their next clash, with McGeoch confirming a grade-two AC joint injury.
www.smh.com.au/sport
The injury-plagued Newcastle fullback suffered cruciate damage to his right knee last night and will require a knee reconstruction - his second in three seasons. Seage was at home by the end of the match, his season, and his off-season, in all likelihood, over.
"He's done his cruciate, I suspect," club doctor Peter McGeoch said. "We'll get some tests done but we expect he'll need a reconstruction. He's devastated. He's been through a fairly trying time.
"But hopefully things go well this time and he won't miss too much of next season."
Seage suffered the injury in somewhat innocuous circumstances. Bringing the ball back on a kick return after just six minutes, he was heading into a waiting Matt Orford. But before he even got to the Manly halfback, he grimaced and fell to the surface. As the realisation kicked in, he yelled: "No."
The 26-year-old had already been one of the unluckiest players to pull on a rugby league boot. Brett Papworth meets Paul Green meets David Woods.
In 2004, his was the forgotten injury of the Newcastle season. Against the Eels at Parramatta Stadium, he ruptured his ACL - in his left knee - and needed a reconstruction. It raised barely a ripple because a certain teammate by the name of Andrew Johns went down with a similar injury in the same game.
Just to rub salt into some fairly deep wounds, his rehabilitation was complicated twice - by infection, and then when he fell trying to get out of the shower.
This season, he has suffered a number of hamstring injuries, but he no doubt thought his luck was about to turn. Just nine days ago, as he started preparing to head back to Queensland, the backing of Johns led to him being re-signed for next season. Then he was called into the starting side for last night's first qualifying final when Milton Thaiday succumbed to his ankle injury.
This was just Seage's 16th first-grade game for the Knights in his three seasons. His appearances in the top grade have only just shaded the flu for regularity.
It was not a good half for the Knights, even forgetting the scoreboard.
Second-rower Steve Simpson, probably only just below Johns and Danny Buderus in terms of importance for this side, damaged his shoulder after 15 minutes as he charged into Sea Eagles front-rower Jason King.
He did return late in the first half, but still faces a battle to be fit for their next clash, with McGeoch confirming a grade-two AC joint injury.
www.smh.com.au/sport
