Matt Burton faces a significant injury setback after sustaining a serious knee injury during the Bulldogs’ match against the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday. The five-eighth was hurt in the 25th minute when he was tackled by Jojo Fifita and remained on the ground in evident distress. The atmosphere at Belmore turned tense as the crowd observed Burton clutching his left knee before being helped off the field.
Following the incident, the Bulldogs confirmed that Burton had suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury and would undergo scans to assess the extent of the damage. The club anticipates he will be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks. A replay indicated that Fifita’s tackle put excessive strain on Burton’s knee.
In a small consolation for Canterbury supporters, the 25-year-old managed to walk off the field unaided. Former Bulldogs captain, Michael Ennis, expressed disappointment over the nature of the injury but reassured fans by noting that it was not an ACL injury.
In a separate incident, Canterbury winger Marcelo Montoya found himself in trouble for a high tackle on Titans fullback Keano Kini. Montoya’s shoulder made high contact without any apparent attempt to wrap his arms, leaving the young player in pain. Despite Kini recovering to continue playing, commentators raised concerns about Montoya’s tackle, with some predicting he might face disciplinary action.
The Titans struggled early in the match, committing numerous errors that allowed the Bulldogs to dominate with 482 running metres compared to the Titans’ 175. Jaeman Salmon’s impressive footwork led to the opening try, followed by hooker Reed Mahoney adding another, and Josh Curran contributing to the scoreline in the 19th minute. Alofiana Khan-Pereira also made his mark, scoring two tries, and the Bulldogs went into half-time with a commanding 22-12 lead.