NRL greats use the same word for Herbie Farnworth's horror injury
The 25-year-old showed his class early in the clash with the Warriors in Auckland when he beat two defenders to cross the line and open the scoring in just the fourth minute for his 12th try of the season (see below).
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But just minutes later, Farnworth's sensational season may have come to a shuddering halt.
With the score locked at 6-6 in the 18th minute, Farnworth received a ball from Kodi Nikorima on his own 10 metre line.
With seemingly nothing on, the Englishman produced a huge step off his right and then his left to beat two attempted tackles before putting on the afterburners and accelerating into open space.
Watch the injury in the video player above
A try appeared there for the taking when Farnworth suddenly slammed on the brakes before falling to the turf and grabbing for his left hamstring.
'Now Farnworth has done it again, he's unstoppable. (Hamiso) Tabuai-Fidow is there … Farnworth has done an injury!' Warren Smith said on Fox League.
'He's torn a hamstring. Can you believe that? This is potentially devastating for not just this game, but the Dolphins' season. He's gone.
'The old sniper got him in fresh air. He ran past (Samuel) Healey like he wasn't there … he's in about fourth gear and then boom, it just goes as quickly as that.'
Co-commentator Michael Ennis then said: 'Oh this is devastating for the Dolphins. Exactly what Farnworth displayed there is what he's done all season for the Dolphins.
'Nothing on, set going nowhere, a bit of individual brilliance and class and incredible athleticism.
'And Farnworth, this close to the finals, this is a huge blow for them.'
Smith replied: 'He's done a hammy as cold as you like.
'On a night when Kodi Nikorima returns from the one he did against the Rabbitohs back in round 17, they lose another of their stars.'
A short time later, Farnworth was seen limping to the sheds, with Smith saying: 'That is a sad sight as he walks up the tunnel.
'His night over, potentially, depending on the severity of it and how they finish, it could be season over for Herbie Farnworth.'
The Dolphins are sitting in eighth place on the NRL ladder and desperate to play finals for the first time in their short history.
It will be a much tougher task without Farnworth, whose 12th try took him to equal sixth on the tryscoring charts for the season.
'Not just one of the stars, of the Dolphins but one of the genuine superstars of the NRL,' compatriot James Graham said at halftime.
'I think everybody just held their breath, it's absolutely devastating and adds to a growing injury list for the Redcliffe Dolphins.
'You've got to feel nothing but sorrow and all our thoughts go with Herbie.
'Hopefully it's not too bad but the fact he left the field needing assistance, it didn't look good.'
Apart from the Dolphins' hopes of a first top-eight finish, Farnworth's England side is also hosting Australia in a three-Test Ashes series starting at Wembley in October.
Plenty of fans and official accounts were taking that into account when they took to social media after the serious injury.
Journalist Aaron Bower wrote on X: 'Not to alarm any England fans but Herbie Farnworth has just likely torn a hamstring playing for the Dolphins.
'12 weeks to go so you'd think he'd be fit – but will he be match fit if that's his season?'
The Castleford Tigers podcast tweeted: 'The sniper's got Herbie Farnworth … Just torn a hamstring playing for the Dolphins. Let's hope he's back and in good nick before the Aussies arrive at Wembley.'
The NRL Allstars Podcast said: 'Terrible news for Herbie Farnworth with what looked like a severe hamstring injury. Helped from the field in what could be season ending.'
League Unlimited stated: 'Massive blow! Herbie Farnworth looks like he has done his hamstring and has gone straight up the tunnel!'
Another fan wrote: 'Pretty sure Herbie Farnworth just blew his hamstring and put himself out of the Ashes. English Rugby League just cannot catch a single break at the minute.'
Farnworth will get scans when the Dolphins return to Queensland, but it was reported as a 'very bad hamstring' on Fox League.
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Sydney Morning Herald
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The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
‘Absolutely insane': Harris wins first gold as Short digs deep after hospital visit
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
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Swimming with her eyes shut, Meg Harris has put a golden exclamation mark on Australia's world titles with victory in the women's 50m freestyle. Harris' gold medal on Sunday's last night of the titles in Singapore came amid silver medals to compatriot Jenna Forrester (women's 400m medley) and Australia's women's 4x100m medley relayers. Australia, with eight gold, six silver and six bronze, finished second on the medal tally behind the United States (nine, 11, nine). The 23-year-old Harris, who is partially deaf, was stunned at her success - not least, because she swims the entire lap with her eyes closed. "It's normal for me," Harris said of her shut-eye habit. "I do it a lot in the 50m and in the 100m, I always do it on the second lap. "So I'm not quite sure what it is, I do it in training as well, but I guess it's just like trying to focus on my stroke … not 100 per cent, that's just what happens." Harris clocked 24.02 seconds to claim her first individual title in a career also featuring nine relay golds at Olympics and world championships. "Stoked ... I have achieved what the dream that I've been dreaming of this whole time," said Harris, who won silver in the event at last year's Paris Olympics. In the women's 400m medley final, Australia's Forrester finished second behind Canadian megastar Summer McIntosh, who won four gold medals in Singapore. Sam Short's illness-troubled titles finished with fourth place in the men's 1500m, Isaac Cooper was seventh in the men's 50m backstroke and Brendon Smith came last in the men's 400m medley. And the Dolphins' women's 4x100m medley team of Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alex Perkins and Mollie O'Callaghan took silver in the last race of the championships, won by the US in a world record time of three minutes 49.34 seconds. O'Callaghan was Australia's most successful swimmer of the meet with three gold medals and two silvers. Kaylee McKeown collected two golds, repeating her 100-200m backstroke double from last year's Olympics, plus a silver while Cam McEvoy became Australia's oldest gold medallist at a world titles, winning the men's 50m freestyle aged 31. Another veteran, 27-year-old Kyle Chalmers, won gold as part of the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, and bronze in the individual 100m. Meanwhile, in the diving world titles in Singapore, Australia's Cassiel Rousseau won the men's 10m platform for the second time. The 24-year-old produced consistent excellence in Sunday night's final - he led after the first dive, was second after the next two, then held the gold medal position for the final three dives. Rousseau described his gold, which follows his victory in the event at the 2023 world championships, as "unexpected". "It definitely feels amazing," he said. Swimming with her eyes shut, Meg Harris has put a golden exclamation mark on Australia's world titles with victory in the women's 50m freestyle. Harris' gold medal on Sunday's last night of the titles in Singapore came amid silver medals to compatriot Jenna Forrester (women's 400m medley) and Australia's women's 4x100m medley relayers. Australia, with eight gold, six silver and six bronze, finished second on the medal tally behind the United States (nine, 11, nine). The 23-year-old Harris, who is partially deaf, was stunned at her success - not least, because she swims the entire lap with her eyes closed. "It's normal for me," Harris said of her shut-eye habit. "I do it a lot in the 50m and in the 100m, I always do it on the second lap. "So I'm not quite sure what it is, I do it in training as well, but I guess it's just like trying to focus on my stroke … not 100 per cent, that's just what happens." Harris clocked 24.02 seconds to claim her first individual title in a career also featuring nine relay golds at Olympics and world championships. "Stoked ... I have achieved what the dream that I've been dreaming of this whole time," said Harris, who won silver in the event at last year's Paris Olympics. In the women's 400m medley final, Australia's Forrester finished second behind Canadian megastar Summer McIntosh, who won four gold medals in Singapore. Sam Short's illness-troubled titles finished with fourth place in the men's 1500m, Isaac Cooper was seventh in the men's 50m backstroke and Brendon Smith came last in the men's 400m medley. And the Dolphins' women's 4x100m medley team of Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alex Perkins and Mollie O'Callaghan took silver in the last race of the championships, won by the US in a world record time of three minutes 49.34 seconds. O'Callaghan was Australia's most successful swimmer of the meet with three gold medals and two silvers. Kaylee McKeown collected two golds, repeating her 100-200m backstroke double from last year's Olympics, plus a silver while Cam McEvoy became Australia's oldest gold medallist at a world titles, winning the men's 50m freestyle aged 31. Another veteran, 27-year-old Kyle Chalmers, won gold as part of the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, and bronze in the individual 100m. Meanwhile, in the diving world titles in Singapore, Australia's Cassiel Rousseau won the men's 10m platform for the second time. The 24-year-old produced consistent excellence in Sunday night's final - he led after the first dive, was second after the next two, then held the gold medal position for the final three dives. Rousseau described his gold, which follows his victory in the event at the 2023 world championships, as "unexpected". "It definitely feels amazing," he said. Swimming with her eyes shut, Meg Harris has put a golden exclamation mark on Australia's world titles with victory in the women's 50m freestyle. Harris' gold medal on Sunday's last night of the titles in Singapore came amid silver medals to compatriot Jenna Forrester (women's 400m medley) and Australia's women's 4x100m medley relayers. Australia, with eight gold, six silver and six bronze, finished second on the medal tally behind the United States (nine, 11, nine). The 23-year-old Harris, who is partially deaf, was stunned at her success - not least, because she swims the entire lap with her eyes closed. "It's normal for me," Harris said of her shut-eye habit. "I do it a lot in the 50m and in the 100m, I always do it on the second lap. "So I'm not quite sure what it is, I do it in training as well, but I guess it's just like trying to focus on my stroke … not 100 per cent, that's just what happens." Harris clocked 24.02 seconds to claim her first individual title in a career also featuring nine relay golds at Olympics and world championships. "Stoked ... I have achieved what the dream that I've been dreaming of this whole time," said Harris, who won silver in the event at last year's Paris Olympics. In the women's 400m medley final, Australia's Forrester finished second behind Canadian megastar Summer McIntosh, who won four gold medals in Singapore. Sam Short's illness-troubled titles finished with fourth place in the men's 1500m, Isaac Cooper was seventh in the men's 50m backstroke and Brendon Smith came last in the men's 400m medley. And the Dolphins' women's 4x100m medley team of Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alex Perkins and Mollie O'Callaghan took silver in the last race of the championships, won by the US in a world record time of three minutes 49.34 seconds. O'Callaghan was Australia's most successful swimmer of the meet with three gold medals and two silvers. Kaylee McKeown collected two golds, repeating her 100-200m backstroke double from last year's Olympics, plus a silver while Cam McEvoy became Australia's oldest gold medallist at a world titles, winning the men's 50m freestyle aged 31. Another veteran, 27-year-old Kyle Chalmers, won gold as part of the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, and bronze in the individual 100m. Meanwhile, in the diving world titles in Singapore, Australia's Cassiel Rousseau won the men's 10m platform for the second time. The 24-year-old produced consistent excellence in Sunday night's final - he led after the first dive, was second after the next two, then held the gold medal position for the final three dives. Rousseau described his gold, which follows his victory in the event at the 2023 world championships, as "unexpected". "It definitely feels amazing," he said.
