Parramatta Eels fear Ray Stone’s season could be over after he scored two tries in the win over Melbourne Storm but also suffered what looks to be a serious knee injury.
The Eels are priced at 10/1 to win the NRL grand final this season and boosted their chances with the dramatic 28-24 extra-time win over the Storm at AAMI Park.
Huge Stone setback
Stone turned out to be the unlikely hero when grabbing his second try of the game to secure the golden-point win.
The 24-year-old pounced when an attempted field goal by Mitch Moses hit the post but in the process of scoring the try, he also injured his knee.
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Speaking to reporters after the game coach Brad Arthur was unaware of the seriousness of the injury but it was later revealed the player will have scans in Melbourne before the Eels return home. And it has been suggested they fear the worse.
“It's always good when a little bit of luck goes to one of our players that you can rely on," Arthur said. "Stoney is one of those guys, he works hard, he is sometimes in and out of the team but he never complains, he just gets on with his job."
The Eels will now be praying for good news, but the downbeat celebrations after the game said it all.
No excuses from Bellamy
Meanwhile Craig Bellamy refused to use their disrupted preparations this week as an excuse for the defeat. The Storm lost star hooker Harry Grant to sickness but Bellamy says his side were just out of luck.
"We did some real good things and then we did some things that weren't so good," the Storm coach said. "I think they scored three tries off kicks and we knew that was coming and practised for it. Whoever won it was going to have a bit of luck go their way and whoever lost it, bad luck, so it is what it is."
