Captain of Bulldogs Stephen Crichton spoke of the devastating impact of a tackle last year that fears of the center of Superstar could disturb him for the rest of his life.
The 24-year-old was injured in a tackle in the first half against the Knights during the weekend, but managed to see the rest of the match.
He was allowed to play Friday’s match against the Rabbitohs, but revealed that the injury is something he has been dealing with since last year.
The incident occurred in Townsville when Crichton was discussed by three cowboys, which made him lose all feeling in his right arm.
Crichton said he had a similar feeling when he was injured during the Knights match.
“My body has earned, but this nervous genre is something little from last year that I was wearing,” he told Newswire.
Stephen Crichton opened on the shocking impact of a tackle last year
Bulldog superstar fears that injury is disturbed for the rest of his life
“It sometimes comes and goes when I am struck there. No matter how difficult it is, but my whole arm becomes dead.
“It’s nothing that I can attach or put a pad on it, so I have to be intelligent with my plated.
“I had to go to scans and it showed that I was pinching a nerve at the back of my head. It is the nerve that attaches to my arm and gives the feeling of my arm.
Crichton says that he fears that the next time he will have a similar blow, the injury could become permanent.
“My arm is dead and I can’t really feel it, and it actually takes a while for my feeling to come back,” he said.
“I am afraid that once I can hit him and not have it (feel in return) to never know.
“Once I started to feel this feeling, I know I’m nice because I have done it several times.
“But I’m really afraid that once I do it and this feeling does not come back.”
Crichton was authorized to play against Souths on Friday
Crichton has become a key team leader since his arrival from Penrith in 2024, the International Samoan being appointed captain of the year.
The results on the field continue to speak for themselves, the Bulldogs going 5-0 this season for the first time in 32 years.