Melbourne Storm's Gareth Widdop goes down with a hip injury against the Gold Coast Titans. Source: Getty Images
ENGLAND international Gareth Widdop might have played his last game for Melbourne after the five-eighth suffered a suspected dislocated hip.
The injury took the focus off a grinding win by Gold Coast, which had the advantage of taking on the reigning premier without its all-star Origin spine. But nonetheless it established them in the top six.
But the 13,000-plus Skilled Park crowd was silenced when 24-year-old Widdop hit the turf in agony after he crumpled under the combined weight of Titans tacklers Ryan James and Albert Kelly in the second half.
He was taken by ambulance to nearby Robina Hospital.
"It's not good news for us or him. He was in a lot of pain," coach Craig Bellamy said. "Hopefully it's a clean dislocation and no fractures. The boys are really feeling for him at the moment."
While a definitive diagnosis was not immediately available, Wests Tigers centre Chris Lawrence suffered a similar injury in 2011 and it was three months before he could start running again.
Widdop has played 68 games for the Storm since making his debut in 2010. He will join St George Illawarra next season.
"It's going to hurt us without a doubt because he's a really good player," Bellamy said. "He's been taking a bit more control in games with the more experience he's got. The other guys (Cam Smith, Cooper Cronk) have been very happy with that."
While one Melbourne star faded, another arrived in Ben Hampton. The 21-year-old scored a brace in his first-grade debut.
Gold Coast coach John Cartwright made sure his players did not fall into the trap of expecting to win with the absence of Smith, Cronk, Billy Slater and Ryan Hoffman.
"We are all aware who was out of their side but they are still the Melbourne Storm with 13 guys who have laid a foundation for them every week," he said.
Gold Coast 18 (A Don K Gordon L O'Dwyer tries; A Sezer 3 goals) Melbourne 12 (B Hampton 2 tries; M Blair G Widdop goals) at Skilled Park. Referee: Jared Maxwell, Grant Atkins. Crowd: 13,044.
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