NRL 2021: Raiders star Elliott Whitehead suffers gruesome injury in Storm loss

He stepped up again big time in the absence of their injured superstars in the demolition of Canberra and Melbourne Storm are going to do everything they can to hold onto Nicho Hynes.

Whitehead points to his dislocated finger.

If fans needed any more evidence that Elliott Whitehead is one of the NRL’s toughest forwards, they got it on Saturday night.

His side down 12-10 early in the second half, the Raiders captain emerged from a tackle clutching his left hand and hunching over.

With Canberra on the attack, he signalled to the bench and gestured to his hand. Cameras then revealed the gruesome extent of the Englishman’s injury: a dislocated finger bent at an alarming angle.

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Whitehead points to his dislocated finger.

He remained behind the offensive line for the remainder of the set in clear discomfort.

“That’s a magic trick,” Fox League commentator Dan Ginnane said of the injury.

Raiders trainers attended to Whitehead on the field, putting his maligned digit back into place and allowing him to play on for the remainder of the game.

Fans roasted Whitehead on Twitter, clearly seeing the funny side of the star’s brutal injury.

When the bouncer at Mooseheads asks how many drinks you’ve had tonight. #NRLRaidersStormpic.twitter.com/8a27a7lL2o

— Matt Baseley (@MattBaseley) May 22, 2021

Elliott Whitehead showing off some Northern England gang signs #NRLRaidersStormpic.twitter.com/6OxJm8aESb

— Gene Irvine (@geneirvine12) May 22, 2021

If I'm Elliot Whitehead, you'll need the smelling salts to revive me #NRLRaidersStorm

— Wal G (@Gisikus) May 22, 2021

Whitehead doing a flick pass 10 minutes after dislocating a finger is the confidence we all need #nrl#NRLRaidersStorm#UpTheMilk

— Mike Tran (@mjtran) May 22, 2021

Elliot Whitehead the king of pointing around corners #NRLRaidersStormpic.twitter.com/e8XxzSIrjW

— Cuntweasel (@clubfoot25) May 22, 2021

Whitehead had a night to remember — he scored his third try of the season in the 13th minute and was among the Green Machine’s top tacklers for the night.

STORM GROW NEW SPINE

They were missing their entire spine, but no one can ever accuse Melbourne of having no backbone.

Despite being without Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant, the Storm were still able to re-write history in Saturday’s dominant 34-10 win over Canberra.

Also missing was Kenny Bromwich, while the Raiders were also without most of their big names, including Jack Wighton, Josh Papalii, Josh Hodgson and Jarrod Croker.

Nicho Hynes continued his strong form. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

The lack of star power at GIO Stadium reduced what would’ve been pencilled in as a top-four clash at the start of the season into a desperate battle between back-up players.

But it mattered little to the defending premiers, who became the first team in premiership history to win eight straight games by at least 13 points, and consolidate their top-three spot.

They did it despite giving the home side a 10-point head start, keeping the home side scoreless over the final 66 minutes to consign the Raiders to their sixth defeat in seven games.

Ricky Stuart, who was also without Joseph Tapine and Jordan Rapana, simply didn’t have enough firepower to withstand the Storm assault.

Second-choice hooker Brandon Smith played chief orchestrator, setting up three of his team’s five tries, including two for Nelson Asofa-Solomona, to pull Canberra’s middle defence apart.

“I saw the halves kept playing pretty bad with the ball,” Smith said on Fox Sports.

Storm players celebrate in front of their fans. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

“So I decided to shave my two ears off and listen to the two ruckies and play through the middle. I thought we did that well and off the back of that we were able to play with some ruck speed.”

Understudy fullback Nicho Hynes continued his hot run of form with another scintillating display, leading both teams in run metres (182) and tackle breaks (11) to go with his own try assist.

Hynes is off-contract and is almost certain to field interest from rival clubs.

“He’s playing some really good footy at the moment. We’d like him to stay and hopefully he’ll take into consideration he’s fitted in really well for us,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.

“He’s definitely in our 17 and can fill a whole heap of spaces. We’d like to hold onto him if we can.”

MELBOURNE WEATHER STORM

Canberra treated Melbourne to a traditionally frosty welcome by icing an opportunity inside 72 seconds, with a Sam Williams bomb being allowed to bounce by the Storm left edge.

It was sent back to the hands of George Williams, who then reacted quickly and picked out Bailey Simonsson on the opposite wing with a neat kick for the perfect start.

An Elliott Whitehead four-pointer made it a two-try lead, despite the home side being on the wrong end of a 27-4 count of plays inside the opposition half inside the opening 24 minutes.

Dejected Raiders Corey Harawira-Naera and Curtis Scott after the game. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

However despite being behind for most of the first half, it took Melbourne just six minutes to seize momentum and take a two-point halftime lead.

With Smith wreaking havoc through the middle of the field, the nuggety hooker put Asofa-Solomona over for his first, and Chris Lewis soon after, at close range with well-timed passes.

STORM POUR ON POINTS

Smith sent Asofa-Solomona across soon into the resumption to kickstart a comprehensive second half that rendered the Raiders defence powerless.

Tom Eisenhuth, Reimis Smith and Trent Loeiro also touched down to complete the six-try rout, which has left their juggernaut of an attack averaging over 40 points during their winning run.

They have outscored their opponents an absurd 322-90 in that span, ensuring they remain hot on the heels of undefeated ladder leaders Penrith, and second-placed Parramatta.

A curt Stuart refused to use his depleted roster as an excuse for their fourth straight defeat at home – their longest run in almost seven years.

“It’s definitely not that. I’m not going to look at that as an excuse,” Stuart said.

REPORTABLE INCIDENTS

It didn’t quite match the high drama at the SCG earlier in the night, but the league’s crackdown on high tackles continued with two players put on report.

Canberra hitman Corey Horsburgh was cited for clipping the chin of Asofa-Solomona in the first half, while Melbourne utility Chris Lewis caught George Williams high after the break.