Leigh Leopards saw off Salford Red Devils 14-6 to claim their place in the Super League play-off semi-finals on Friday night. However, celebrations on the night were mixed with concern after seeing winger Josh Charnley stretched off the field with a neck injury in the second half of the contest.
Charnley scored Leigh’s first try on the night as he made the most of some quick Leopards hands by exploiting the overlap and finishing acrobatically. He came close to grabbing a second, too, only to see Ryan Brierley claim a loose ball ahead of him.
In the act of trying to score that try, though, Charnley appeared to go over on his neck and was left motionless in Salford’s in-goal area as the home side looked to restart. As such, play stopped and there was instant concern on the faces of those players around him.
Medical staff from both clubs treated the winger before he was eventually stretchered off the field and joined by his family in the Salford Community Stadium changing rooms.
Speaking after the game, victorious coach Adrian Lam was able to give an update on the winger’s condition.
“He’s on his way now to hospital,” Lam told Sky Sports. “He’s in a brace and he’s on the way there. He is conscious so just fingers crossed that he’s OK.”
The winger’s try in the opening few moments of the first half saw him move into second outright on the Super League all-time try scorers list, with his effort being his 248th.
With Leigh Leopards going to either Hull KR or Wigan Warriors next week in the semi-finals, Charnley would be a big loss should he be ruled out. Lam was without Kai O’Donnell on the night in Salford with the back-rower suffering with an abdominal issue, while Frankie Halton failed a head injury assessment in the first half, too.
