Injury worries for Pickers and Bulldogs ahead of finals

The Maitland Pickers and Kurri Kurri Bulldogs face injury concerns going into the finals with Bulldogs lock Jack Stringer and Pickers utility back Luke Knight both failing to finish Saturday's clash between the two clubs.

Stringer went off late in the game with rib soreness and Knight suffered an ankle injury in the first half.

Although comprehensively outplayed by Maitland in a six tries to one, 26-6 thumping, the Bulldogs secured a place in the finals with The Entrance defeating Western Suburbs 22-18 at Harker Oval.

It was the only good news on an otherwise dismal day for the Bulldogs, with coach Paul Stringer keeping his team on the ground to speak to them before they learned their season was still alive.

Stringer snr faces a tough task in picking his team up for next Saturday's elimination final against The Entrance, particularly if injury prevents his son Jack from playing.

"Jack is not the best. I don't know how he's going to pull up. He's got some bad ribs, so I don't know how he's going to go. He didn't finish the game, and that's unlike him to not finish," the coach said.

The Bulldogs will get scans on Monday to see the extent of Stringer's injury.

Stringer snr also only rated star fullback Hemi Knebel, who failed to pass a midweek fitness test for Saturday's game, a 50-50 chance of being fit for the elimination final.

Pickers coach Matt Lantry is hoping Knight has only an ankle strain rather than a more significant syndesmosis injury which could rule him when Maitland kicks off its finals campaign with a home major semi-final on Saturday, September 22.

Lantry said they would give Knight every chance, but they would not take any risks with him.

Star halfback Brock Lamb is also unlikely to be available for their opening final, with Lantry saying Lamb had ticked off a number of boxes on his return from a knee injury but still some way to go.

"I think Knighty has a low-grade sprain. We're hopeful it's not syndesmosis. He's gone for a scan now to check it," Lantry said after the match.

"We could have probably taped him up and put him back out there, but when the result really didn't matter for us there was no point in taking the risk, so we put him on ice.

"We'll put him on ice and give him the next few days to try and let it settle down and see where we're at.

"We'll give him every chance to play in a fortnight's time."

Isaiah Olsen was again outstanding at halfback in Lamb's absence, with fullback Dan Langbridge moving into five-eighth after Knight's injury and Matt Soper-Lawler dropping back to fullback.

The combination would be the most likely contingency if Knight and Lamb fail to come up for the major semi-final, but Lantry said there are a number of other options including playing centre Harry Van Dartel or hooker Harrison Spruce at five-eighth.

Saturday's clash in the middle-third lived up to pre-game expectations with the Bulldogs forwards led by Stringer taking on the Sam Anderson-led Maitland pack.

Prop Jack Stringer won the Pickers' best player award and Anderson, Jayden Butterfield in his second game back from injury and the bench matched the Bulldogs' intensity in one of the highlights for the big Pickers Old Boys' Day crowd

"We knew where Kurri's strength lay was their middle third... they're a physical, confrontational side, and we knew our guys needed to be up for that. We just felt we had a bit of class on our edges that could take opportunities if we managed the middle third," Lantry said.

The Bulldogs defence was flimsy at times, particularly on the right edge, and the Pickers took full advantage. James Bradley scored a double, and Soper-Lawler, Olsen, William Nieuwenhuise and Ethan Parry all crossed for tries.

Parry and Soper-Lawler created real problems for the Bulldogs with their aerial skills as well.

Stringer snr said it was particularly disappointing to play so poorly against the Pickers for the second time this season.

"We played poor against them at home. We played poor again today. I don't know whether the boys have belief that they can beat them or not," he questioned after the match.

"We're a tough grinding team, and if we don't do the little one percenters right, we struggle.

"Our discipline was bad, and our right edge defence just wanted to stand there and watch them pass the footy.

"We've got to be completing 85 per cent or higher... and we haven't done that in the last three games... Discipline is key to win a footie game."

Stringer said he believed his team can turn things around and progress beyond the elimination final.

He said making finals was a fitting reward for the team's efforts during the year and the fantastic support they had received from the fans and club all season.

"I'm real happy for the club, from where the club has come from and the faith they've showed in me as the coach and the team," he said.

"I wish it was under different circumstances. That we were going in with a good win today, but that's not the case. So we need to flush today down the toilet, forget about it quick, and get to training this week and do a job."

It was a big day for Maitland with the club honouring it's commitment to secure a clean sweep on Old Boys' Day.

The Pickers kicked off the day with a 24-12 win against Central Newcastle in the Milleen Group Women's Premiership, followed by wins in under-19, reserve grade and first grade against Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.

The under-19s sealed fifth spot with a 34-6 win and will play The Entrance in the elimination final on the Central Coast.

The two-time defending reserve grade premiers finished runners-up with a 26-12 win sit to finish three points behind Wests and one point ahead of South Newcastle third. They will meet the South Newcastle in the major semi-final.

Maitland's back-to-back defending women's premiers finished fourth and will play in the elimination final.

The Kurri Kurri Bulldogs have claimed the first trophy of the season by defeating red-hot favourites Western Suburbs in the Open Grade grand final at Harker Oval on Friday night.

The Bulldogs came from third to produce their best performance of the season in the decider, running out 22-8 winners.

The team featured a number of former Kurri Kurri and Maitland first graders.

Jono Alchin scored a double, and Nic Lawrence and Bryce Field also scored tries, while Jack Sylvester kicked three of four conversions.

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