Newcastle Knights star suffers horrific ‘car crash’ internal injuries after tackle

Adam Brax
Fletcher-Sharpe

Fletcher Sharpe of the Knights is tackled.

Newcastle Knights’ five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe will remain hospitalised in Perth until at least the end of the week following serious internal injuries sustained during the team’s 26-20 win over the Dolphins on Saturday.

Sharpe, 21, underwent surgery on Sunday to repair a lacerated kidney and is also receiving treatment for a ruptured spleen, which were caused by a tackle from behind early in the second half of the game.

The young playmaker was knocked to the ground after being tackled by Dolphins hooker Jeremy Marshall-King, face-planting onto the turf.

After failing a head injury assessment (HIA), Sharpe began experiencing abdominal pain and was rushed to a hospital to be reviewed.

Knights director of football Peter Parr confirmed Sharpe’s condition and said the club is doing everything in their power to assist their injured player.

“Fletcher is in a stable condition,” Parr told The Newcastle Herald.

“He has lacerated his kidney and done damage to the spleen. The priority is his health and making sure he has the best care in Perth.”

Parr said the club has flown Sharpe’s father and partner to Perth on Sunday to join the club’s head of medical, Craig Catterick, who stayed with the player.

“We are hopeful we can get him home by the end of the week, but it is a step-by-step process at the moment,” Parr said. “We want to make sure he is really comfortable before we get him on a long-haul flight.”

A lacerated kidney, typically the result of blunt trauma, is common in motor vehicle accidents and can also occur in contact sports, often involving impact to the lower back.

Sharpe’s injury was likely compounded by the force of his own elbow after hitting the ground, according to reports.

“I haven’t focused on how it happened, I have been focused more on his care and making sure his family has everything they need,” Parr added, shifting the team’s attention to Sharpe’s recovery.

Physiotherapist Brien Seeney, known as “the NRL Physio” on Social Media, provided insight into the usual recovery time for such an injury.

Seeney explained that recovery from a lacerated kidney typically takes four to six weeks, depending on the severity of the injury – but it could go longer than that.

“They [the kidney’s] are very, very important for filtering the blood and helping with urination,” Seeney said.

“They’re very important for your whole system.”

“Recovery time is a lot less clear. It is not like a hamstring strain, where there are very clear guidelines.”

He said that rushing a return after a lacerated kidney is dangerous due to the potential risks involved: “The big thing is that you cannot rush a lacerated kidney. The risks are so significant.”

For the battling Knights, Sharpe’s absence will heavily impact their lineup in the coming weeks.

The team currently sits in 15th place, three points outside the top eight, with a home game against Canberra scheduled for Friday.

Jackson Hastings and Tyson Gamble are both expected to now feature in the extended squad against Canberra.

Hastings, who played five-eighth in a narrow loss to the Roosters a fortnight ago, is now recovering from a nearly 12-month absence from the top grade, while Gamble made a successful return from a broken thumb in the NSW Cup on Sunday.

NRL Fletcher Sharpe

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