Bradman Best's hamstring injury puts further strain on Knights

Just three days after playing a hero's role in NSW's series-clinching State of Origin triumph against Queensland, the 22-year-old centre limped off the field against Brisbane after only nine minutes.

He pulled up lame after chasing down runaway Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh and was to be sent for scans to ascertain how long he would be unavailable.

While Knights coach Adam O'Brien was optimistic "it's not a massive thing", Best admitted to the Newcastle Herald his hamstring felt worse than when he strained it in round 11, which sidelined him for a month.

"I don't know what the go is yet. I'll get the scans done and go from there," Best said.

"That's rugby league, isn't it? It's a roller coaster."

This time it was Best's left hamstring, which he initially strained on May 18. It was his other hamstring, on his right leg, that caused concern in the lead-up to Origin III.

"Bradman looked a little bit sore yesterday but obviously got treatment," O'Brien said after Saturday's defeat.

"But then I spoke to him this morning and he said: 'There's no way I'm missing, I feel great'.

"So if they're saying they're well, they know their bodies ... it'd be great to have a crystal ball, but I don't have one."

O'Brien said injuries were an occupational hazard.

"The way he's built, and the way he plays, and the power he plays with, they get them," he said.

"It's not unique to us. It's across the whole competition, these types of injuries."

Best's setback is cruel timing, because he has been in career-best form in recent weeks, and his game-breaking try in Origin III underlined his claims to a Kangaroos jersey in end-of-season Tests against New Zealand and Tonga.

The Knights, who have slipped to 13^th on the points table, have the bye this week before a clash with the reigning three-time premiers at Penrith, and it is hard to imagine Best being available.

In all likelihood he will join Enari Tuala (calf) on the injured list, leaving O'Brien to cobble together another makeshift backline.

When Best was forced off against Brisbane, versatile Dylan Lucas switched to centre. O'Brien said the loss of one of his main strike weapons highlighted the importance of Newcastle getting the fundamentals right.

"We're not a good-looking team," he said.

"We're an ugly team and we need to be content playing like that ... when you don't have those guys that can just create something or put that little finishing touch on, you've got to get all the other stuff right."

O'Brien said his team "made too many errors chasing points early", allowing the visitors a dominant share of possession and field position in the first half.

Brisbane, coming off six consecutive losses, were not about to waste the ample opportunities Newcastle afforded them and raced to an 18-0 lead by half-time, which became 24-0 by the 50th minute.

The return of skipper Adam Reynolds from a long-term injury lay-off sparked fullback Reece Walsh and five-eighth Ezra Mam, and the Broncos proceeded to show glimpses of the form that earned them a berth in last year's grand final.

Walsh and Mam both scored while Walsh also produced try assists for centre Deine Mariner - who posted a first-half double - and back-rower Brendan Piakura.

Mariner's brace took him to 16 for the season, equal with Gold Coast flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira on top of the NRL tryscoring list.

Bench forwards Jack Hetherington and Mat Croker and winger Greg Mazhew scored second-half tries to give the crowd of 26,952 home fans belated reason to cheer.

But the game was long gone before the Knights troubled the scorers.

Newcastle's loss followed their 44-6 hammering from Manly at Brookvale a week earlier.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters was confident the win would be a turning point for his team.

"We're not through the other side yet, but we've put a foot halfway through the fence," he said. "We'll bust the fence down now."