The Newcastle Knights have confirmed Alex McKinnon has a “devastating” spinal injury that may take two years to recover from.
Early on Tuesday, the Knights said scans revealed McKinnon fractured his C4 and C5 vertebrae when he landed awkwardly in a tackle in Monday night’s NRL match against the Melbourne Storm.
The Knights said his spinal cord was not severed, but it could be weeks before McKinnon knows the full extent of the damage.
Newcastle issued an updated statement on Tuesday night saying additional scans “confirmed a devastating spinal injury”.
“He has movement in his right arm and the uncertainty remains in regeneration, with a variable prognosis,” the statement said.
“The doctors explained regeneration and recovery could be up to two years.”
Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett says the Knights will give stricken back-rower Alex McKinnon all the help he needs to recover from the broken neck he sustained against Melbourne on Monday.
He is getting the best care now and we are giving him all the support we can possibly give him. After that we just have to hope for the best.
McKinnon is in a Melbourne hospital waiting to find out if there will be any long-term damage from the fractured C4 and C5 vertebrae in his neck and the veteran coach admitted the incident has hit everyone at the club hard.
“I was at the hospital this morning when his parents arrived,” Bennett said.
“It’s sad and extremely disappointing for him. There is not much we can do about it.
“He is getting the best care now and we are giving him all the support we can possibly give him. After that we just have to hope for the best.
“It’s tough on all of us. This kind of thing doesn’t happen.”
The veteran coach, who took McKinnon with him to Newcastle from St George Illawarra when he moved to the Knights in 2012, admitted he was struggling to get his head around what had happened to the 22-year-old.
“It really does bugger your mind up,” he said.
“He is an outstanding young man. He will captain the club here one day.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the NRL said today it would defer a hearing into the incident which resulted in an injury to Knights forward Alex McKinnon out of respect to the player and his family.
The NRL match review committee on Tuesday decided to refer a dangerous throw charge against Melbourne Storm player Jordan McLean to the NRL Judiciary because of the serious injury arising from the tackle.
NRL Head of Football, Todd Greenberg, however, said the focus should be solely on the player’s welfare at this time.
Our immediate priority is to throw our support behind Alex and his family and to hope for a full recovery.
Greenberg said no date has been set for the hearing.
“Our immediate priority is to throw our support behind Alex and his family and to hope for a full recovery,” Greenberg said.
“A date will be determined for Jordan’s hearing after we consult with the Melbourne and Newcastle clubs.
Greenderg said McLean will be stood down from Melbourne’s round four clash in Perth and until the matter is heard
However, the Storm have the right under the rules to seek leave from the NRL Judiciary Chairman for McLean to play.
“It is undoubtedly a distressing time for Jordan as well but the NRL has to apply the rules and determine whether a breach has occurred,” Greenberg said.
“The Match Review Committee believes it is in the best interests of all for the hearing to be held in the Judiciary forum where all the information can be presented openly and transparently.
“But, out of respect for Alex and his family, that hearing should not be held at this time.”
Meanwhile, NRL senior welfare and education manager Paul Heptonstall said the everything will be done to support McKinnon and his recovery.
“Its really sad to hear something like that happen,” Heptonstall said.
“From a welfare perspective we’ll make sure we’re with any player as much as we can be.
“He’s going to need a lot of support from his family and his club and people like us just to get him through this.”
