Crushing blow for Origin hopeful, Cowboys star in hot water
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In-form Warriors prop and NSW hopeful Jackson Ford has suffered a crushing blow after being forced off with a pectoral injury against the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, before Jason Taumalolo was sin binned for a dangerous throw.
Ford, who was sitting near the top of the Dally M leaderboard before voting went behind closed doors, has been one of the Warriors’ best this season but suffered the injury during the first half of his side’s 38-20 win over North Queensland.
Jackson Ford leaves the field clutching at his pec. Fox League
The 28-year-old was considered incredibly unlucky to miss out on a spot in Laurie Daley’s team for the first two State of Origin matches.
With spots up for grabs heading into the decider next month, Ford remained a live chance of making his Origin debut before disaster struck against the Cowboys.
Mid-way through the opening half in the first NRL match at One NZ Stadium in Christchurch, the workhorse front-rower got his arm caught awkwardly while making a tackle and immediately clutched at his shoulder.
Ford signalled to the Warriors bench that he needed to come off and ran off behind the goalposts, heading straight up the tunnel.
“He’s gone, what a shame - he’s had a wonderful start to the season,” Steve Roach said on Fox League commentary.
It was soon confirmed by sideline commentator Niko Pajarillo that it was a pec concern and Ford would not return against North Queensland.
Warriors winger Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad grabbed an early double at the state-of-the-art indoor stadium, before the Cowboys bounced back thanks to Scott Drinkwater, who set up a try for Braidon Burns before scoring one of his own.
Nicoll-Klokstad completed a first-half hat-trick before the break to give the home side the narrow lead heading towards the break and almost had a fourth try, but it was overruled for a forward pass in the lead-up.
It was one-way traffic early in the second half as Nicoll-Klokstad found his way over again, before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak got in on the action.
The visitors went agonisingly close to drawing level again when Jaxon Purdue was held up over the line by Te Maire Martin in a desperation tackle.
“Tackle of the year, it looked like Purdue was in for all money,” Roach said.
Things went from bad to worse for the Cowboys when veteran forward Taumalolo was given his marching orders for a tackle on Nicoll-Klokstad.
Taumalolo picked up the Warriors star and turned him upside down and planting him shoulder first into the turf, causing a melee between the two sides.
Jason Taumalolo's dangerous tackle on Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Fox League
He was then called out by referee Grant Atkins and sent to the bin for 10 minutes, much to the joy of the Christchurch faithful who erupted with cheers.
Drinkwater, who is off to the Dragons next year, continued his stunning attacking afternoon continued when he put Braidon Burns over with a cut-out pass.
“I can’t believe they are letting him go,” Roach said of the star fullback.
North Queensland’s comeback attempt was short-lived as Adam Pompey cleaned up a mistake from Drinkwater to score, before Taine Tuaupiki put the icing on the cake and cemented the Warriors’ spot inside the top-four.
