Storm hope Widdop returns for finals

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Hope ... the Storm are confident Gareth Widdop will return for the NRL finals. Source: Brett Crockford / AAP

Gareth Widdop's NRL season may not be over after all with the Storm reporting their star five-eighth could be back for the finals after undergoing successful surgery.

St George Illawarra-bound Widdop appeared to have played his last game for the premiers after dislocating his hip in Monday night's 18-12 loss to Gold Coast Titans.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

But with doctors finding no fractures, there is hope the Great Britain international may still play a part for the Storm in the playoffs - and this year's Rugby League World Cup.

The 24-year-old is still facing at least 12 weeks on the sidelines, but can draw hope from Chris Lawrence's comeback from a similarly horrific injury in 2011.

Lawrence said it took "five or six people'' to put his dislocated hip back in place, but returned so impressively for Wests Tigers that season he also gained selection in the Test team for Australia's 2011 Four Nations campaign.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Lawrence admitted it was hard to watch as Widdop screamed in agony and punched the Skilled Park turf, but said all was not lost.

"It's a terrible shame for him. It brought back some memories from my injury,'' he said on Tuesday.

"So I know what he's going through. My thoughts are with him. Hopefully his recovery goes well.

"It depends on the results of his scans, I suppose. I was quite lucky with mine.''

Long-term, the Storm may not have to look far for a playmaking replacement for Widdop.

Although veteran half Brett Finch looms as the man most likely to step in for Widdop in the short-term, the performance of debutant Ben Hampton against the Titans shows coach Craig Bellamy has a good prospect coming through.

The former Queensland under-20s captain scored two tries and made 122 metres from 15 runs in a stellar first NRL outing.

Bellamy was particularly impressed with the way the 179cm youngster stood up to some serious physical treatment from the Titans.

"He's only a small kid, but he's tough,'' Bellamy said.

"They got stuck into him and we probably expected that being a small guy and being his first grade debut ... but he didn't lay down.

"I was real proud of his effort.''

Hampton, who filled in at fullback in place of fellow north Queensland product Billy Slater, also won praise from the State of Origin and Test star.

"Great game by Benny Hampton,'' Slater tweeted.

"Sure to hear more of that name.''

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Storm hope Widdop returns for finals

Dengan url

http://ikhlasngeblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/storm-hope-widdop-returns-for-finals.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Storm hope Widdop returns for finals

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Storm hope Widdop returns for finals

sebagai sumbernya