Utai to miss 12 weeks with knee injury

New Zealand international winger Matt Utai will miss at least 12 weeks after suffering a compression fracture in his right leg during the Bulldogs 30-16 NRL win over Newcastle last Sunday.

Utai fractured his tibia (lower leg) attempting to make a try-saving tackle late in the game on Knights winger James McManus and was bundled across the padded signage just outside the field of play.

It was Utai's first NRL game of the season after being forced to play premier league behind Trent Cutler.