NRL: Gordon's season over after ACL injury

Michael Gordon of the Panthers runs the ball. Photo / Getty Images

In-form Penrith fullback Michael Gordon will miss the rest of the NRL season after scans on Saturday confirmed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The dynamic 27-year-old, who starred in the Panthers' 33-10 thrashing of Brisbane on Friday night, fell awkwardly in a tackle in the 70th minute against the Broncos.

Gordon has been in stellar form in 2011 and was expected to be strongly considered for NSW coach Ricky Stuart's squad for the opening State of Origin fixture on May 25, but instead he will spend the rest of the year in rehabilitation.

He will discuss options with surgeons on Monday.

Gordon, who has never suffered a serious knee injury in the past, told reporters on Friday that he "heard a noise" when his knee buckled underneath him.

"It hurt because of the way (the defender) fell on it, but then it came good," he said.

"I heard something, but I wasn't sure if it was a pop or if it was just me crying."

The news is disastrous for the Panthers who had revived their season with a comprehensive victory over the competition leaders the same week that respected former NRL coach Phil Gould signed on to oversee the club's operations for the next three and a half years.

Gordon looked certain to add to his Origin debut from last year after producing a five-star effort against Brisbane.

With the match in the balance, Gordon single-handedly destroyed the Broncos in an electrifying ten-minute period, backing up a Luke Walsh run to score under the posts before setting up tries for Brad Tighe and Timana Tahu.

Tahu will have scans on Monday, having suffered a suspected ruptured pectoral muscle.

In rare good news, luckless fullback Lachlan Coote was named to make his return to rugby league for the Windsor Wolves in the NSW Cup, after recovering from the debilitating osteitis pubis injury which dogged him throughout 2010.

Meanwhile, Brisbane superstar Justin Hodges suffered a grade one tear to his right hamstring which Broncos officials fear could rule him out for up to six weeks.

He will miss the first Origin clash on May 25 and is in severe doubt for the rest of the series.

In better news for Brisbane and Queensland, prop Ben Hannant was cleared of a leg injury while skipper Darren Lockyer is in no doubt after pulling up fine from a minor neck strain.

- AAP