NRL

The Newcastle Knights have received a massive boost with confirmation NSW Origin forward Dylan Lucas has been promoted into the 19-man squad take on the New Zealand Warriors at Eden Park on Sunday afternoon.

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It caps a remarkable injury comeback for the 26-year-old who was taken from McDonald Jones Stadium on a medicab after suffering a gruesome ankle fracture and dislocation in Newcastle’s 23-22 loss to Roosters back on July 24 — the same night star playmaker Dylan Brown also suffered a season-ending ACL rupture.

Lucas underwent ankle surgery and wasn’t expected to be seen again until 2027, but eight weeks later he’s set prove everyone wrong.

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“Credit to the medical staff and Dylan,” Knights coach Justin Holbrook said earlier in the week.

“The day he got injured he wanted to fast-track himself and do everything right.”

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According to NRL Physio Brien Seeney, if Lucas makes it on to the field on Sunday his return will set a new NRL record for the fastest recovery time from this type of ankle injury, the previous mark being 10 weeks set by former Roosters and Knights forward Aidan Guerra back 2019.

Coupled with the imposing form of young forwards Jermaine McEwen and Francis Manuleleua it means the Knights head into the sudden death Auckland clash with one of the game’s most dynamic back rows.

The Warriors host the Knights at a sold-out Eden Park on Sunday afternoon with kickoff at 4:05pm (AEST). The winner will face the Panthers a week later in a Sydney preliminary final at Accor Stadium.

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