Dylan Edwards cops brutal injury setback in huge blow for Panthers after Origin heroics
The fullback was man of the match in the State of Origin decider.
The Penrith Panthers are looking at being without fullback Dylan Edwards for up to a month after he suffered a knee injury in the State of Origin decider on Wednesday night. Edwards had a blinder and won man of the match after helping the Blues win 14-4 to break a 19-year drought in Origin deciders at Suncorp.
The fullback had 27 runs for 243 metres on Wednesday night, breaking seven tackles in a brilliant display at the back. It came after he scored a try and was equally as good on debut in Game 2, which vindicated Michael Maguire's call to axe long-time captain James Tedesco.
But his heroics on Wednesday night have come with a sour note, after it emerged after the game that he'd suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his knee. Edwards could be seen with strapping on his right knee during the game and got treatment at one stage, but played through the pain and had a blinder.
But according to reports, the Panthers fullback is set to be sidelined for 2-4 weeks. Edwards hasn't been named for Penrith's clash with the Dolphins on Sunday, with the Panthers already deciding to rest him anyway. But it looks like he could be out for up to a month, and Penrith are unlikely to risk him due to the fact they're coming second on the NRL ladder.
Dylan Edwards will have scans on a suspected PCL injury suffered in Origin 3.
Was down getting treatment & strapping multiple times in the game. Severity to be confirmed but early assessments suggest he could be out for 2-4 weeks (would be a moderate sprain). pic.twitter.com/uLZDOC5Eev— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 17, 2024
"We had a great bunch of boys who really ripped in tonight, came here to do our state proud and our families proud and I hope we did that," Edwards said after the match. "We got a couple of tries late but the scoreline for a lot of that was really tight and no team was giving an inch. I thought both teams played it in the Origin spirit with a lot of intensity but believing in the long game and believing in each other got us home."
Mitchell Moses to miss rest of NRL season with Parramatta
NSW halfback Mitchell Moses also copped a devastating injury setback after rupturing his bicep late in the game. Moses will miss the rest of the NRL season for the Parramatta Eels as a result, but you couldn't wipe the smile off his face after scoring the match-sealing try on Wednesday night.
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Moses won a third-straight Origin game in just his fifth appearance for the Blues, becoming only the third NSW halfback to win a deciding game at Suncorp Stadium (after Laurie Daley and Andrew Johns). "I'd spoken to Mitch prior to the series - you get to know them - I do like Mitch and his personality," Blues coach Michael Maguire said after the game.
"It suits the arena; you've got to have a lot of confidence about your own game. That's what he brought to the game, and his kick is very handy. That's what Origin is about ... and it was really nice to see him break the game open there. He was patient; the game was a dog fight and it was going to be a moment that opened the game up and Mitch found that."
It comes as a crushing blow for the Eels and means they'll struggle to make an unlikely late charge to the NRL finals. "The bicep's gone, so I'll need surgery on that, I'll be gone," Moses told Fox Sports post-match. "It's been a tough one for the Eels but I'll have to get this sorted and look at it next year."
with AAP