NRL: Injured Luck 'like shark victim'

Michael Luck is carried from the field. Photo / Getty Images

As his Warriors' teammates flew home yesterday, Micheal Luck was undergoing an operation on a gaping leg wound so severe he resembled a shark attack victim.

Luck's leg was sliced open by Anthony Watmough's boot in the 68th-minute of Saturday night's 19-16 defeat by Manly. The wound was cleaned at hospital shortly after the match and closed by a surgeon yesterday.

Coach Ivan Cleary was not sure how many stitches were required.

"I don't know but we'll find out," Cleary said. "It will be plenty.

"I have never seen anything like it on a footy field. It actually looked like he'd been bitten by a shark.

"The cut was basically the width of his thigh and like a huge hole you could put your hand in."

Incredibly, Luck soldiered on with the injury until a break in play gave him the chance to collapse in the in-goal area, where he was quickly attended to and stretchered off.

"He did it at the start of the set and kept defending," Cleary said. "He is unbelievable. It will go down in folklore, this one."

Luck has no chance of playing in Friday night's home blockbuster clash with the Broncos but Cleary was not prepared to rule him out for the season.

A player who lives up to his club's name, Luck has received facial lacerations, a broken hand and also suffered an infection after splitting the webbing between his fingers this season.

Any repeat of an infection would certainly end his season, although the Warriors remain hopeful he may be back as early as the final regular season match against Parramatta.

The team's vice-captain and best defender, Luck is a crucial cog in the Warriors' machine. The last time they played without him, they were carved up 50-6 by the Tigers at Campbelltown in round 12.

They did, however, beat the Bulldogs in Sydney in round five when Luck was missing with a broken hand.

Jacob Lillyman, who stood in for Luck against the Bulldogs, is Cleary's preferred option as a replacement lock. Hooker Ian Henderson can also play there - which would free up a spot for impressive debutant hooker Alehana Mara - but Henderson is still doubtful with an ankle injury.

Lewis Brown, who missed Saturday's game with a shoulder injury, is expected to return to the team to face Brisbane.