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Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton was taken from the field after losing feeling in one of his arms in worrying scenes on Saturday night as the Bulldogs’ surge to the finals hit the skids against a resurgent Canberra.
With four wins in their past five games, the Bulldogs arrived at Accor Stadium upbeat and within striking distance of the top eight.
They left the Olympic downcast, thrashed 40-16 by Ricky Stuart’s Raiders and amid concern for Crichton, who has a history of nerve issues.
The 25-year-old, backing up from NSW’s triumph in game three of the State of Origin series on Wednesday night, was transported from the playing arena on a medicab with 16 minutes remaining.
He had slumped to the ground following an innocuous tackle from Raiders second-rower Noah Martin.
Bulldogs medical staff then attended to him as the game was delayed for 10 minutes before he was lifted up on a stretcher.
Crichton, who had played with a shoulder problem for much of the season, was on his feet in the tunnel before the full-time siren sounded.
But the incident made for distressing viewing for Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo, watching on from the coach’s box, and his players.
“It’s an awful feeling because there’s no feedback … you don’t know how he is,” Ciraldo said. “It’s just good he’s up and feeling a little bit better now.
“He was in a fair bit of discomfort there. He wanted to get up but I think the trainers [were] just safety first and made him stay there and wait until everything was all right. He lost feeling down one arm there. [It was] a little bit scary.”
It was not the first time Crichton has experienced such an episode on the field. Last year he pinched a nerve in the back of his head during a match against Newcastle, causing him to lose feeling in his arm.
Bulldogs hooker Kurt Mann said it was “pretty chaotic” on the field while Crichton was being assessed. “It’s definitely scary to see one of your mates laying there like that,” he said.
Crichton will have a scan to determine what led to the loss of feeling in his arm on Saturday.
His exit from the field overshadowed the result, which was a blow to the Bulldogs’ aspirations of featuring in September.
Whiel they are two points outside the top eight in 10th place the three teams directly above them - Manly, South Sydney and the Cowboys - all play on Sunday.
Canterbury have a very winnable game against Wests Tigers next Saturday night but can barely afford to be without Crichton in the run-in to the finals.
His move to five-eighth, partnering Lachlan Galvin in the halves, had been key to the Bulldogs getting their season back on track over the past month.
For the Raiders, the win keeps alive their slim finals hopes, leaving them four points out of the playoff spots.
Canberra resembled last year’s minor premiers with a dominant display led by halfback Ethan Sanders and emerging hooker Owen Pattie, whose pair of 40–20s set in train the thumping.
The Raiders were far too strong despite starting their State of Origin pair Ethan Strange and Hudson Young on the bench, as well as veteran Josh Papalii, who was back after nearly three months recovering from a calf strain.
Lock Zac Hosking posted a treble of tries and fellow back-rower Martin, returning from double ankle surgery, also let his hair down.
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