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Important SN update for Southland'We got lucky': Coach shocked by Knights star's injury
Darren Walton, AAP • June 26th, 2025 8:57 pm
Fletcher Sharpe suffered a lacerated kidney and damaged spleen in the clash against the Dolphins. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
Newcastle coach Aiden O'Brien has expressed his dismay at the seriousness of Fletcher Sharpe's injury following the star five-eighth's return home from a West Australian hospital.
Sharpe was diagnosed with a lacerated kidney and damaged spleen after initially coming off for a HIA during the Knights' 26-20 win over the Dolphins in Perth on Saturday.
The 21-year-old appeared to suffer the injury in the same tackle as he was concussed, after his body hit the ground hard when brought down from behind.
O'Brien on Thursday said he was "shocked" by the outcome.
"I watched the tackle a heap of times and it's hard to see how it happened," O'Brien said.
"I probably just want to give our guys a bit of a rap there, our doctor, Jin Lee and 'Cat' (Head of Medical Craig Catterick). It was a really serious situation and I thought they handled it great and looked after him.
"Luckily our guys were onto it because 'Fletch' doesn't say much and he's tough as nails.
"So I think we got very lucky. It's good to have him back. (He) made a successful trip home from Perth last night.
"But he's got a bit of a journey ahead of him, Fletcher."
With 11 tries this season, Sharpe has been a shining light in an otherwise lacklustre Newcastle attack.
But he appears certain to miss the rest of the 2025 campaign.
"I don't like that for anyone but, yeah, one of our own. It was a real shock to me once I found out the extent of the injury," O'Brien said ahead of the Knights' hosting of Canberra at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night.
Most pundits tipped Canberra to finish in the bottom four this year but Ricky Stuart's Raiders are instead flying high in second spot and on track for a home final.
"They play a tough brand of footy that Ricky's instilled in them, and they certainly don't beat themselves," O'Brien said.
"I admire what Ricky's done for sure. The character of their team comes out from their coach. He's a tough bugger and gets the most out of his playing group.
"And that's the art of coaching, to try and get a group of men to get as close to their full potential and I feel like he's done that this year.
"They've got a style that they don't waver from and he's done a great job.
"They're a tough, gritty team and we understand this is going to be a big game for us."
Sitting three points outside the top eighth, the 13th-placed Knights welcome back, among others, Jacob Saifiti from a calf injury but won't be risking their forward enforcer with massive minutes.
"I'm not going to run him into the ground the first week," O'Brien said.
"But his motor, he can play those big minutes. But we'll just see how the game pans out."
