All the Aquis Titans players left a hot Darwin yesterday frustrated at a lost opportunity to slip into fifth place on the ladder with victory over Parramatta.
Yet none were less frustrated and disappointed than second-rower Chris McQueen.
And he wished he could remember how it became that way.
McQueen came off in the fourth minute of the 22-12 loss to the Eels after being KO’d by his new teammate Konrad Hurrell as they combined to tackle Parramatta fullback Michael Gordon.
McQueen watched the match in his hotel room later that night and even now is not sure if he retained any memory of the first time he has ever been knocked out of a match for good with concussion, from real experience or watching the replay.
“All I can remember is just before I went into the tackle and Michael Gordon stepping towards my right and coming in to make tackle with my right shoulder … and then getting treatment on the field,” he said
“I think Koni’s fist has come around and smashed me by accident.
“I have had a few head knocks over the years but always been able to carry on; I’ve never been left on the ground like that.
“It was very frustrating to have contributed so little to the match. We had a good opportunity to get two wins on the road and come back to the Gold Coast with a couple of home games to follow. It would have been four wins in row.
“But to not get past the fourth minute and then to lose Koni in the second half and so have only two men on the bench for a good part of the game didn’t help. So it’s hard to go home empty handed from Darwin and not even having contributed.
“It’s a good opportunity lost.”
McQueen watched the second half from the team’s sideline bench and became further frustrated and anxious when Hurrell went off 15 minutes into the second session with a calf injury as the Eels led 14-8.
He and Hurrell both played on the right side and coach Neil Henry, who had to move prop Agnatius Paasi to the right edge to replace McQueen, had to move another forward to right centre in Zeb Taia to cover for Hurrell.
“It was tough with both of us missing from the right edge but teams often have to adjust to that; we just made too many errors in the game,” McQueen said.
McQueen will be monitored during the week and go through the usual protocols but the nine-day turnaround between games should see him fit to take on Manly next Monday while Hurrell will get a scan to check his calf but also is hopeful of being fine to take on the Eagles.
For match highlights, including the fateful tackle CLICK HERE
To buy tickets for next Mondays important clash with the Sea Eagles, CLICK HERE
