SAD NEWS: Bulldogs to lose young winger for remainder of season

Canterbury Bulldogs director of football Phil Gould has announced that winger Blake Wilson’s season has come to an end due to a syndesmosis injury he sustained on Saturday afternoon while playing in reserve grade.

The 23-year-old, who joined the Bulldogs at the start of the 2023 NRL season and has played 21 games since his debut in Round 19 last year, was recently moved back to the NSW Cup but has alternated between the first-grade team and reserve grade throughout the season.

To date, Wilson has scored four tries in ten top-level games this season, but it appears that will be his final tally, even if injuries occur among his teammates. Gould shared on Twitter that Wilson suffered the syndesmosis injury during the reserve-grade match against St George Illawarra Dragons at Kogarah.

Gould praised Wilson’s performance this season, stating, “Blake Wilson badly injured his ankle in the NSW Cup yesterday. Scans have revealed an ankle fracture and syndesmosis injury. Unfortunately, it’s a serious injury. He’s off to surgery now. We will fix it up and go again. Blake has had a great season. He will bounce back—tough kid.”

While Gould did not provide a specific recovery timeline, surgery for a syndesmosis injury typically sidelines a player for at least two months, meaning Wilson is unlikely to return this season, even if the Bulldogs make a deep run in the finals at either the top grade or reserve grade level.

If Canterbury—who have upcoming games against the Dolphins, New Zealand Warriors, Manly Sea Eagles, and North Queensland Cowboys—experience further injuries or suspensions to starting wingers Jacob Kiraz and Josh Addo-Carr, Jeral Skelton is likely to be called up as a replacement.

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