Warriors Sympathetic To Joey
Johns' Plight

Warriors Coach Daniel Anderson said he would rather face Newcastle on Friday night with Andrew Johns.

The Knights skipper has been forced out of the remainder of the season, with a bulging disc in his back which is placing pressure on his spinal cord.

Johns injured his neck against North Queensland last weekend.

He had a scan on the injury on Thursday, which confirmed the worst.

Anderson says there is not any room for celebration in seeing Johns out of the game, and says it would be poor taste to suggest he has a smile on his face.

Anderson says to have one of the superstars of the game now taken out of the competition is not good at all.

Johns is vowing to return better than ever, and he is gutted with the timing of the injury.

He will wear a neck brace and undergo physio for the next six weeks, then the Knights' medical team will consider surgery.

The Knights' doctor Neil Halpin says Johns has already visited neck specialists to ensure they are getting the best possible advice.

He says Johns will be treated in the next six weeks and then reassessed, with surgery a possibility.

And Newcastle league writer Neil Jameson says locals are even more pessimistic about the Knights' chances of the making the playoffs now, starting against the Warriors.

He says the Knights are in a sudden death situation as it is, so losing Johns will just about finish their season.

Jameson points out that last year when Johns was injured, Newcastle fell over, and he is predicting the same thing will happen again.