NRL 2024: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui suffers leg injury in Bulldogs drubbing

The Bulldogs have found form while the Titans found trouble after a massive loss was compounded by an injury to inspirational captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui of the Titans is helped from the field during the round three NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Gold Coast Titans at Belmore Sports Ground, on March 23, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

The Gold Coast Titans have been rocked by a lower leg injury to their star forward Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

Down 32-nil at Belmore Sports Ground, the Titans were already in a world of pain before Fa’asuamaleaui went down clutching his leg in the 62ns minute of the match.

He couldn’t put weight on the right leg and had to be helped off the field by Titans medical staff.

The Titans are still without David Fifita and the team was thoroughly outplayed by the previously winless Bulldogs.

Viliame Kikau was a man on a mission as the Bulldogs fought against their troubling historical stats to win their first game of the season.

STino Fa'asuamaleaui of the Titans is helped from the field after suffering a knee injury playing the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground. Picture: Getty Images

Despite stopping for some heavy elbow strapping early in the match, Kikau was the enforcer fans expect to see in the dominating 32-nil victory.

He terrorised Titans playmaker Tanah Boyd and iced his performance with a beautiful charge-down try in the first half.

The intense breeze was a big factor for both clubs, though the Bulldogs were able to hang onto the ball better than the Titans in the first half and capitalise on their glut of good territory to go into the sheds 12-nil up.

Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney kept the score rolling early in the second half with a try from dummy half, and from 18-nil the Bulldogs never looked like conceding the two points.

The former Panthers trio of Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton and Kikau looked as good as they have at their new club on the left edge, giving some hope to long-suffering Bulldogs fans.

Viliame Kikau was a man on a mission. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

SCANS FOR FA’ASUAMALEAUI

Club doctors assessed Fa’asuamaleaui in the sheds but Titans coach Des Hasler wouldn’t speculate on how long his skipper will be stuck on the sidelines.

“If it’s not his ACL, that’s a positive outcome,” Hasler said.

“It’s definitely his knee and I guess at the moment that can range anywhere between MCL and ACL. Once we get some confirmation of that through some scans we’ll know a bit more … it didn’t look good walking off, did it.”

There were questions over the legality of the tackle leading up to the injury, but Hasler remained noncommittal.

“I haven’t looked at it closely enough. We’ll let that run its course,” he said.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui will go for scans on a “significant” right knee injury. Video brings concern for MCL/ACL injury with tackler contact collapsing knee inwards.

MCL tear would require 6+ weeks recovery, ACL tear obviously season over. 🤞 for isolated MCL injury pic.twitter.com/z8AelhjzuX

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) March 23, 2024

TROUBLED TITANS

Tino may be the most immediate problem, but Hasler has other issues to tackle too with the Bulldogs easily rattling the Gold Coast playmakers and rolling over their forwards.

The Titans missed 32 tackles and made 12 errors in what was simply a lacklustre performance.

Kieran Foran was rushed back into the team and had a couple of good touches, but Hasler may need to consider chopping and changing his playmaking structure – helped by Jayden Campbell returning to the field via the Queensland Cup this week.

HOODOO GURUS

Though they went into their game against the Titans at Belmore Sports Ground in front of an almost exclusively parochial blue and white crowd as favourites, the Bulldogs had only previously won two of 11 at the ground in recent NRL history.

It was the first time they held a team to nil at the ground since the late 90s.

The Titans, led by controversial former Dogs coach Des Hasler, also had an advantage with a 12-11 head-to-head lead on their rivals.

They only play one more game at their spiritual ground this season, in round 22 against the Raiders.

Jacob Kiraz starred in the match. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

LOCAL HERO SHINES

Belmore favourite and Lebanon international Jacob Kiraz certainly took to Multicultural Round well, and was cheered every time he touched the ball.

He scored a try, made a selection of impressive catches under pressure, nine tackle breaks, a line-break and 106 metres.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui suffers leg injury in Bulldogs drubbing