Newcastle Knights forward Neville Costigan cops Anthony Watmough's boot in the face at Brookvale. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
Manly's Anthony Watmough uses Neville Costigan's face as a launching pad. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
Neville Costigan later posted the results on Twitter. Source: Twitter
TRAMPLED! That's one way of describing how a rampant Manly walked all over the Newcastle Knights in their 32-0 Brookvale Oval demolition on Sunday.
And no-one felt the brunt of it more than Knights forward Neville Costigan.
Costigan needed several stitches in a nasty head wound after Manly's human bulldozer Anthony Watmough used his face as a doormat during the first half.
Talk about leaving your stamp on a game.
The impact, brilliantly captured by News Limited photographer Gregg Porteous, came after Watmough burst through Costigan's attempted tackle with the courageous Knights forward still desperately clinging on to Watmough's boot in a bid to halt his progress even as he was being trodden on.
Costigan had his head bandaged on the field but it failed to stem the flow of blood and he was forced off and stitched up before returning to the fray in the second half.
"He's pretty tough, Nev. They don't come much tougher than him," Knights CEO Matt Gidley said.
"Unfortunately, the game as a whole didn't get much better for us. Manly were far too strong and we were never really in it."
Costigan's problems, though, were only cosmetic.
The same can't be said for Newcastle centre Dane Gagai, who faces a stint on the sideline after suffering ankle ligament damage early in the game.
Gagai had scans yesterday to ascertain the damage but will have furthers scans today before knowing how long he will be sidelined.
Experienced centre Timana Tahu, who has missed the opening two rounds with a foot injury, trained strongly last Saturday but will need to be cleared by the doctor if he is to play against the Cowboys next Monday night as Gagai's replacement.
There was at least some good news for the shell-shocked Knights yesterday.
Fears big prop Willie Mason may have suffered a calf tear were dispelled when he was given the all-clear after scans. Mason was replaced mid-way through the first half against the Sea Eagles and didn't return.
"Willie's been battling tightness in the calf for a while now and he was struggled to walk at halftime after he'd cooled down so it didn't look too good," Gidley said.
But the scans were clear and Mason faces a week of intense rehab in a bid to be fit to take on his old club at Hunter Stadium.
Hooker Danny Buderus is on target to return in round four after back surgery.
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