Key Injuries Plague Bulldogs and Cowboys
Jeremiah Nanai, a standout player for the Cowboys and Maroons, may have suffered another serious injury just two games after returning from off-season shoulder surgery. This comes as a blow to the team, especially considering his crucial role in the 2025 series where Queensland emerged victorious. Nanai has been a formidable back-rower, known for his ability to find the try line.
In the 43rd minute of North Queensland’s clash with Canterbury at Accor Stadium on Friday night, Nanai slipped while attempting a tackle on Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton. He extended his right arm and injured the upper part of it. The incident left him writhing in pain, and he was assisted from the field by a trainer. This injury could significantly impact the Maroons’ strategy and performance in upcoming matches.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have a third representative forward in the injury ward after Kurt Mann, a utility player, was concussed during a heavy collision with Matt Lodge. The incident occurred in the 36th minute of the game, which North Queensland won 28-12. Lodge used his bumper bars to tackle Mann, resulting in Mann being sent jolting backwards into Sitili Tupouniua, who was also attempting to tackle the Cowboys prop.
Mann was able to stand up unassisted but was in a groggy state. Cowboys hooker Reed Mahoney, a former Bulldogs teammate, helped hold him up until a trainer arrived. The 33-year-old Queenslander displayed category one symptoms, leading to his removal from the game. As per the NRL’s mandatory 11-day stand-down policy, he will miss next Thursday night’s clash with the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.
Mann joins Fiji international Viliame Kikau (pectoral muscle) and NSW Origin forward Max King on the club’s injury list. This adds to the challenges faced by the Bulldogs as they look to recover from recent setbacks.
The Cowboys managed to score a flurry of points late in the game. The scores were locked at 12-12 after 65 minutes before the visitors scored three tries through Scott Drinkwater, Jake Clifford, and Braidon Burns.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo expressed mixed feelings about the game. “It feels weird to say, but yes, for 60 minutes that looked like really our style of game,” he said. “It wasn’t perfect, but it was 12-all with 20 minutes left, and we were probably exactly where we wanted to be, and where we’ve prided ourselves on over the last couple of years. So yes, there will be a lot of positives that we’ll look at from there.”
However, Ciraldo also highlighted the disappointment in how the game finished. “But very disappointing the way we finished. To let in three really soft tries is not good enough. We’re in a bit of a spot at the moment. We’re clearly a bit low on confidence.”
The Bulldogs are now looking to regroup and address their confidence issues as they prepare for their next match against the Dolphins. The injuries to key players like Nanai and Mann add to the pressure on the team to perform well in the upcoming games.
