Paterson In Cotton Wool After Scan Shows Brain Bruising
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday September 9, 2008
STRIKE forward Cory Paterson is almost certain he does not have a tumour, but he has a bruised brain that would have ruled him out of the NRL finals had Newcastle qualified.
Neurosurgeon Professor Noel Dan saw Paterson in Sydney yesterday and diagnosed the 21-year-old second-rower with bleeding on the brain, which would have sidelined him for six to eight weeks if the Knights were still playing.Paterson, who will see Professor Dan again next week for another MRI scan, said he suffered the bruising when concussed in Newcastle's 17-16 victory over Melbourne at EnergyAustralia Stadium 10 days ago."He hasn't ruled it out but he said it doesn't look like it's a tumour. I've got to go back down next Wednesday and have some more MRI scans but he's pretty confident it's not a tumour," Paterson said."It's a long thin mark, not like a cluster, so he thinks it's more likely bleeding on my brain; that I've got a bruised brain."He said if we were still playing, I wouldn't be able to play for probably six to eight weeks, so it's lucky that it's happened at the end of the season and not earlier in the year."Paterson said he breathed easier when told it was unlikely to be a tumour or abnormal growth."He said it will take a few weeks to settle down and heal, and to not take any risks and do anything where I can get hit in the head for six to eight weeks, but I'll definitely know more when I go back next Wednesday for more scans," he said."If it is just bruising, it won't show much up on the next scan, but if it hasn't gone down, then it could be something else so we'll see what happens."I'll have a few weeks off and take things pretty easy, let my body chill out and recover, but if the scans next week are all clear, I should be right to start everything when we get back together for pre-season training."Five-eighth Jarrod Mullen is unlikely to need major surgery on his right shoulder but will have an MRI scan tomorrow to be certain.Mullen's shoulder popped out and back in again in the warm-up before Newcastle's 24-2 loss to Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium last Friday night.? Knights captain Kurt Gidley has played down his chances of becoming the club's third Dally M Medallist after Andrew Johns (1998, 1999, 2002) and Danny Buderus (2004) at tonight's Dally M Awards presentation at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion.Gidley (10 points) and Melbourne's Billy Slater (15) are considered the strongest challengers to Manly halfback Matt Orford, who led the way on 19 points when voting was kept secret after round 16.Buderus was on 14 but missed the last two games with a torn biceps."I haven't really thought too much about it," Gidley said.Gidley, Buderus, centre Junior Sau, a contender for the Rookie of the Year award, and several club officials will represent the Knights at the presentation tonight.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald