Michael Gordon’s future in doubt as serious blood clot halt’s NRL career

The future of Gold Coast fullback Michael Gordon is in major doubt after the Titans veteran revealed a blood clot has him one bad knock away from death.

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Titans fullback Michael Gordon’s immediate playing future is under a cloud after the shock of being diagnosed with a blood clot.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Gordon has been placed on medication, with a haematologist ordering him to stop heavy-contact training immediately while the blood clot in his leg is treated.

Gordon, who will miss Sunday’s derby against the Broncos, says the blood clot is not life-threatening but doctors are taking every precaution due to his family history with the condition.

Michael Gordon’s playing future is in doubt. Picture: Ian Hitchcock

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“At first, I thought, ‘Holy s***, what do I do?’,” Gordon said on Thursday.

“The doctor couldn’t stress enough the importance of no-contact right now.

“I asked if I could do ballwork and she said, ‘No, if you get a bad knock to the head, you could potentially die, so you don’t muck around with it’.

“Even any big blows to my arms or legs have the potential for internal bleeding.

“My brother Chris and my aunty have had blood clots, they both had to get surgery to treat it.

“That was my first fear, that I would have to get surgery, but it doesn’t look like I will need an operation.

Gordon’s doctor says he could be one bad head knock away from death. Picture: Bradley Kanaris

“I’ve seen doctors and blood experts and they say the clot is pretty superficial, so it’s not life-threatening, but they were worried about it spreading.

“The big thing is if it becomes deep vein and the risk of it travelling to my lungs or heart. They don’t want it to get to that stage.”

The off-contract Gordon hasn’t played since Gold Coast’s 26-18 loss to the Sharks in round nine. The 35-year-old knew something wasn’t right when he suddenly felt a burning pain in his calf region.

“It’s hard to know how it all happened,” he said.

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“Before the Sharks game, I thought I had a little knock in my calf and I thought maybe it was a cork.

“I didn’t think too much of it, but within a few weeks it felt like something was spreading up my leg.

“It’s really hard to explain. It felt weird. It wasn’t painful as such. It was more a burning sensation and when I explained my symptoms, we had some tests done and it showed the clot.

“As far as I know there is just the one clot and it’s in my calf and goes up to my inner-thigh as well.

“The doctors are confident I will be OK, but it’s not something to muck around with.”

Gordon hopes to return within a month.

“Initially, it’s a six-week course of medication. I’ve got just over two weeks left of that and then I will have more blood tests,” he said.

“If the clot dissolves, I will be right to play, so that’s why I’m trying to keep my fitness up.”

Meanwhile, the Titans’ rivals this week, the Broncos, will be without Maroons prop Joe Ofahengaue, who is set to miss two weeks after suffering a knee gash in Origin I on Wednesday night.