NRL Canterbury Bulldog player Matt Burton’s knee injury not as bad as first feared

Canterbury officials and staff will breathe a sigh of relief after scans confirmed only a minor knee injury for star playmaker Matt Burton.

The Bulldogs faced a nervous wait when the NSW representative limped from the field during the first half of their 40-24 defeat of Gold Coast at Belmore.

But Sunday night’s scans revealed a low-grade medial cruciate ligament injury, meaning five-eighth Burton is on track to return in a matter of weeks.

Canterbury are set to provide clearer timeline for Burton’s return to play later on Monday, when an update on Viliame Kikau is also expected.

The premiership-winning second-rower also left the Titans game with a knee injury and went for scans on Monday morning.

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo indicated on Sunday that captain Stephen Crichton would likely switch from the centres to the halves from the round-three clash with Parramatta.

Crichton has played two matches for Samoa at five-eighth but will start in the halves at NRL level for the first time after being preferenced over Drew Hutchison.

Jaeman Salmon or Sitili Tupouniua could start at second row in Kikau’s place if the Fijian international misses Sunday’s game against the Eels.

In good news for the Dogs, winger Marcelo Montoya has escaped suspension for his shoulder charge on Gold Coast’s Keano Kini.

Montoya went on report for the incident that took place in the first set of Sunday’s game but can accept a $1500 fine with an early plea to his grade-one offence.