Hunslet RLFC: Jimmy Watson 'devastated' by new injury setback

Hunslet full-back Jimmy Watson says he is “devastated” by his latest injury blow.

Watson, 29, snapped an Achilles collecting the kick-off in last Saturday’s win at London Skolars.

The incident happened the day after the birth of his son, Lomax.

“I just went down, with no one near me,” Watson recalled.

“I felt like I’d been shot.

“I felt a snap in my ankle, I thought I’d fallen over something, but there was nothing and no one, there.

“I knew something was very wrong and shouted for the medics.

“I was devastated, I couldn’t believe it.”

Watson initially went in a taxi to a local hospital, but was keen to be treated in Yorkshire so travelled to Pinderfields, in Wakefield, with club chairman Kenny Sykes and director Peter Jarvis.

“It was around midnight when we got to Pinderfields and there was only one doctor on duty, who put a pot on me up to the knee,” Watson added.

“Our fantastic captain Duane Straugheir picked me up from the hospital at 3am.

“I’m very grateful to our coaches and my teammates, who have rallied round and sent me loads of messages - and to Hunslet’s doctor Ben Haughton.”

Watson was just two gamesinto his comeback from a pre-season knee problem.

“I’d had a very good pre-season and I’d been playing well in our friendlies before I picked up a leg injury against Barrow,” he reported.

“I’d made a faster recovery than expected from that, thanks largely to the club, who helped fund treatment.

“I can’t thank them enough for that and I wanted to repay them and now this has happened.”

He added: “I’ve asked myself many times how and why it happened.

“Maybe I just set off too quickly for the ball, but I’d done all the warmups and proper preparations.

“Perhaps I’ve overcompensated for the previous injury, or possibly it’s something to do with the Skolars’ artificial pitch.

“The truth is I just don’t know, maybe it’s just one of those things that happen in rugby league.”

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